A Systematic Literature Review of the Factors Influencing Hearing Protection Device Usage Among Industrial Workers

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Fauzan, N. S., Sukadarin, E. H., et al. (2023).

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 2934.

This systematic review investigates the factors influencing the use of hearing protection devices by industrial workers to prevent hearing loss caused by loud noises.

Universiti Malaysia Pahang; Rabdan Academy (United Arab Emirates)

2006 to 2021

Published, English-language research articles and conference proceedings. Excludes systematic reviews, book series, books, and book chapters.

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Studies investigating factors that influence the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs) by industrial workers reported the following worker perspectives:<br /> <ul> <li>Barriers resulting in an unwillingness to use HPDs included difficulty communicating with others when wearing an HPD, discomfort while wearing an HPD (e.g., heat, humidity), and bulkiness and inconvenience of HPD equipment. Some workers indicated that HPD use decreased their work productivity and efficiency, while others described feeling that HPDs compromised their health (e.g., fear of infection from unhygienic earplugs).</li> <li>Facilitators influencing the willingness to use HPDs included an awareness of excessive noise exposure risks, the perception of personal hearing loss susceptibility, a desire to reduce hearing loss risk, the preferred reduction of excessive sound levels when using HPDs, a decrease in listening effort with HPD use, and a feeling of self-efficacy for being able to influence their own exposure and risk.</li> </ul> The authors conclude that a variety of factors influence the use of HPDs in industrial workers. Additional research investigating programs that improve HPD adoption in noisy work environments is warranted.