PURPOSE: To verify the characteristics, prevalence, and repercussion of tinnitus in noise-exposed workers. METHODS: A total of 585 workers from a food industry were questioned about tinnitus. Individuals that reported tinnitus with duration of more than five minutes and for more than six months answered an interview regarding occupational and tinnitus histories, answered to the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory questionnaire, and carried out a pure tone audiometry. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Tinnitus prevalence was 7.2% (n=42), the average noise exposure time was three years and eight months, and the average tinnitus perception time was three years and seven months. There was a predominance of intermittent (88%) and bilateral (53.4%) perception, with progressive onset (66.7%). A total of 50% didn't present hearing loss. The subjects reported that tinnitus interferes mainly in concentration; stress, silence and noise were the worsening factors most frequently mentioned. There was a difference between noise exposure time and tinnitus perception time in individuals without hearing loss. CONCLUSION: The absence of hearing loss in half the individuals and the correlation between noise exposure time and tinnitus perception time, in these subjects, suggest a possible effect of noise not restrained to the peripheral auditory system, and the need to include tinnitus in hearing conservation programs.
Tinnitus; Prevalence; Hearing loss; Food industry; Noise, Occupational; Quality of life; Occupational health; Questionnaires
