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Occupational Noise Exposure and its effects on hearing among Hospital Support Workers at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Occupational Noise Exposure and its effects on hearing among Hospital Support Workers at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors
Tshering Yangdon
Ministry of Health
Kinzang Yangden
Faculty of Public Health, Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan
Pelden Wangchuk
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan
Phuntsho Dhendup
Department of Labour, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources, Thimphu, Bhutan
Tsheltrim Dema
Ministry of Health, Thimphu, Bhutan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47811/bhj.224
Keywords:
Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (ONIHL); Noise Assessment; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Abstract
Background: Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is documented in mining and manufacturing but remains understudied in hospital settings. Support workers in laundry units, oxygen plants, and Central Sterile Supply Departments (CSSDs) face hazardous noise exposure but remain underrepresented in hearing conservation research. Objective: To assess occupational noise exposure and its impact among support workers in high-noise departments at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), Bhutan. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 49 support workers from the oxygen plant, laundry unit, and CSSD. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, noise dosimetry, and pure-tone audiometry by an audiologist. Air and bone conduction thresholds were measured at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz. Occupational NIHL (ONIHL) was defined by a sensorineural notch at 4 kHz with recovery at 8 kHz. Statistical analysis used chi-squared tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: ONIHL prevalence was in the oxygen plant (85.7%), laundry unit (85.0%), and CSSD (73.3%). Severity increased with longer exposure duration, although audiometric changes were observed among younger and less-tenured workers. Hearing protection use was low, in CSSD (6.6%) and the oxygen plant (7.1%). Men had higher rates of mild-to-moderate hearing loss, while workers aged 40–49 years showed the highest prevalence of moderate-to-severe impairment. Conclusion: The findings highlight an occupational hearing health gap at JDWNRH. The high prevalence of ONIHL and low use of hearing protection underscore the need for engineering controls, administrative safeguards, mandatory audiometric surveillance, hearing protection, and effective occupational noise safety measures.
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Published
2026-10-01
Issue
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2026): Nov-Issue, 2026（https://bhj.com.bt/index.php/bhj/issue/view/29）
Section
Original Article
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Copyright (c) 2026 Tshering Yangdon, Kinzang Yangden, Pelden Wangchuk, Phuntsho Dhendup, Tsheltrim Dema
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License（https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/）.
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How to Cite
Occupational Noise Exposure and its effects on hearing among Hospital Support Workers at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan: A Cross-Sectional Study. (2026). Bhutan Health Journal , 12 (2), 11. https://doi.org/10.47811/bhj.224
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