Factors Predicting Hearing Protection Device Use Among Workers in Kaolin Mineral Dressing Factories

Abstract

Noise-induced hearing loss, the most significant occupational and safety problem among the working population, can be effectively prevented through hearing protection devices (HPDs) use. This predictive study aimed to examine whether the following factors, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, interpersonal and situational influences about using hearing protection, could predict HPD use among 132 qualified workers in production lines at kaolin mineral dressing factories, in Uttaradit and Lampang provinces. Data collection was undertaken during August to September 2020 using an interview form developed by Yaruang et al. (2010), which was validated by a panel of experts with a reliability value at an acceptable level (.81-1.00). Data analysis was performed using logistic regression analysis.

The results revealed that only the situational factor on using hearing protection could predict HPD use, which accounted for 21.8% of the total variance for HPD use. It was also found that participants who had a score for situational factors on using hearing protection greater than or equal to the median were 4.16 times more likely to use HPDs than those who had lower median scores (OR = 4.16, p < .05).

The results, thus, indicate that enhancing a supportive environment for HPD use, in particular, the provision of various HPDs, is of great importance. Therefore, occupational health nurses and related health teams should effectively enhance workers’ use of HPDs through knowledge dissemination and adopting strategies appropriate to the workplace context leading to the achievement of worker health policy focusing on work safety.