Investigation and Analysis of Major Causes of Sensorineural HearingLoss in Some part of Nigeria

摘要

The goal of this study is to investigate the causes of sensorineural hearing loss observed among urban dwellers inNigeria. While the research evaluates and analyzed the degree of noise impression on hearing activity of the affectedpopulation. Causal-comparative research design was employed in this study to establish the cause-and-effectrelationships between the road transportation noise pollution levels and hearing loss in people exposed to it. The studywas conducted in five cities of the southern geopolitical zones of Nigeria thus: (Calabar, Uyo, Umuahia, Owerri, andPort-Harcourt). The cities were segmented into road transportation high noise pollution zones (HNPZs) and low noisepollution zones (LNPZs), with respondents in HNPZs serving as experimental group, and respondents in LNPZsserving as control group. The noise level measurement for the various zones were obtained by the use of a precisionsound level meter (SML). From the results A Weighted sound pressure levels of 87.0 – 102.0 dB (A) and 70.0 – 82.0dB (A) were recorded during the day at HNPZs and LNPZs respectively. As illustrated earlier, noise levels 80dB (A)defined high noise zones in Nigeria while noise levels ≤ 80.0 dB (A) defined low noise zones. Statistics on bothtemporary hearing loss (THL) and permanent hearing loss (PHL) from the two comparative zones revealed that90.5%, 88.1%, 82.0%, 86.4% and 79.4% of respondents in Calabar, Uyo, Umuahia, Owerri and Port-Harcourtsuffered from temporary hearing loss (THL), at HNPZs and 97.4%, 98.1, 95.6 and 95.1% suffered from temporaryhearing loss at LNPZs respectively. Also 9.5%, 11.9, 18.0, 13.6 and 20.6%, of respondents in this cities at HNPZssuffers from permanent hearing loss (PHL) respectively. The research findings confirm that off all the various causesof sensorineural hearing loss, the prevalent is exposure to loud noise which is cause by high road transportation noisepollution (motor vehicle).