Abstract
Screening audiometry, measuring right and left hearing at 1 and 4 kHz, is a legally required part of the screening health examination for many workers in Japan. A large amount of data comes from this first screening, and there is some disagreement about how to select which patients with positive findings require secondary screening. In this study we performed four tests (right 1 and 4 kHz, and left 1 and 4 kHz examination) in 2820 workers, and divided these results into four groups. Group 1 patients had one positive finding and included 427 workers. Group 2 patients had two positive findings and included 265 workers. Group 3 had three positive findings and 73 workers. And group 4 had four positive findings and 22 workers. In our previous study, we reported that 90% of the cases in groups 3 and 4 had some kind of ear disease. Therefore, the patients who were sent on for secondary screening were from group 3 and 4, as well as a smaller subset from group 2. The number of workers in group 2 who had positive findings in bilateral 4 kHz testing numbered 109, while the remaining patients had positive findings on only one 1 kHz test and numbered 156. Because the patients with defects in the 4 kHz range included many patients with presbyacusis and noise-induced hearing loss, which do not require immediate treatment, we focused on the 156workers who had at least one positive finding in the 1 kHz range. Therefore, the total number of workers sent to secondary screening was 251; including the 156 workers from group 2, and all those from groups 3 and 4.197 of the 251 workers were then sent to secondary screening examination in a sound-proof room.104 workers showed some hearing disturbance while 93 workers had normal hearing. This method of screening may possibly reduce the number of workers who require secondary screening, and subsequently decrease the time required and financial burden.
