Jiho Lee

By Jiho Lee

Listening to sounds in everyday life is an important factor in a human life. You can talk, listen to music, and enjoy nature through sound. However, due to adverse effect, listening to unwanted sounds continuously may cause noise-induced health disorders. Noise is an inevitable pollution factor in modern society, and its severity is increasing day by day. In addition, as the improvement of the economic level and the demand for the calm quality of life are increasing, the noise-related problem is emerging as a continuous social issue. Most of the problems associated with noise are mental, especially in developed countries, where social issues with the neighborhood noise are getting worse. The severity of noise-related problems is associated with the characteristics of noise, personal sensitivities, and vulnerable groups, but continued exposure can adversely affect not only health but also sociocultural, ethical, and economical aspects. However, the knowledge of the direct and indirect effects of noise pollution on health is still insufficient. Due to these limitations, it is difficult to establish reasonable standards for resolution and therefore requires more scientific research works.

Part of the book: Noise and Environment

By Joong-Keun Kwon and Jiho Lee

Occupational hearing loss received attention after the Industrial Revolution and through World Wars I and II. It currently accounts for the largest portion of occupational diseases, and a third of all hearing loss is due to noise. Occupational hearing losses include noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), hearing loss caused by ototoxic substances and hearing loss caused by their complex interactions. In the case of NIHL, even when exposed to the same noise, the degree of hearing damage and recovery may vary from person to person, and also be affected by other noise in daily life. Various organic solvents and some heavy metals exposed in workplace are important causes of ototoxic hearing loss, and they are known to have additive or synergistic effects when accompanied by noise. In Korea, NIHL is the most common occupational disease and has been increasing continuously since the 1990s. The number of claims for compensation has also been increasing steadily. However, the developed country including Korea almost never considered the effects of chemicals on the diagnosis and compensation for hearing loss workers. Occupational hearing loss can be prevented through hearing conservation programs. In this chapter, we will introduce the scientific basis of noise induced hearing loss, the impacts of ototoxic substance and co-existence impact on hearing loss.

Part of the book: Hearing Loss