Original Research - Special Collection: Occupational Hearing Loss in Africa

Recent advances in hearing conservation programmes: A systematic review

Nomfundo F. Moroe, Katijah Khoza-Shangase
South African Journal of Communication Disorders | Vol 67, No 2 | a675 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v67i2.675 | © 2020 Nomfundo F. Moroe, Katijah Khoza-Shangase | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 05 September 2019 | Published: 03 March 2020

About the author(s)

Nomfundo F. Moroe, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Katijah Khoza-Shangase, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Background: Current evidence from low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries, such as South Africa, indicates that occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) continues to be a health and safety challenge for the mining industry. There is also evidence of hearing conservation programmes (HCPs) being implemented with limited success.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore and document current evidence reflecting recent advances in HCPs in order to identify gaps within the South African HCPs.

Method: A systematic literature review was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. Electronic databases including Sage, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus MEDLINE, ProQuest and Google Scholar were searched for potential studies published in English between 2010 and 2019 reporting on recent advances in HCPs within the mining industry.

Results: The study findings revealed a number of important recent advances internationally, which require deliberation for possible implementation within the South African HCPs context. These advances have been presented under seven themes: (1) the use of metrics, (2) pharmacological interventions and hair cell regeneration, (3) artificial neural network, (4) audiology assessment measures, (5) noise monitoring advances, (6) conceptual approaches to HCPs and (7) buying quiet.

Conclusion: The study findings raise important advances that may have significant implications for HCPs in LAMI countries where ONIHL remains a highly prevalent occupational health challenge. Establishing feasibility and efficacy of these advances in these contexts to ensure contextual relevance and responsiveness is one of the recommendations to facilitate the success of HCPs targets.


Keywords

Advances; Hearing conservation programmes; Industry; Innovation; Management; Occupational; Policies; Recent

Metrics

Total abstract views: 3113
Total article views: 4107

 

Crossref Citations

1. Mechanized Wood Extraction: Impacts on Operators’ Hearing Health
Diego Aparecido Camargo, Rafaele Almeida Munis, Ricardo Hideaki Miyajima, Roldão Carlos Andrade Lima, Danilo Simões
Forests  vol: 13  issue: 10  first page: 1553  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3390/f13101553