Effect of Traffic Noise on Hearing in City Bus Drivers of Bangalore

Objective: To study whether the duration of exposure to noise significantly affects hearing threshold level in bus drivers.

Materials and method: Study was conducted on 30 male drivers working in Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Bangalore, between the age group 20 - 50 years and pure tone audiometric evaluation was done.

Results: Drivers with more no. of years of job experience had high levels of hearing threshold (p<0.001) both for lower and higher frequencies but significantly more for higher frequency. This study shows that hearing loss is found in drivers at an earlier age since majority were between 30-40 years.

Conclusion: The risk of hearing loss and injury to ears increase with the sound intensity, duration of exposure to noise and individual susceptibility. Awareness has to be created in drivers by implementing education and training programs has to be conducted about the hearing protectors.