The constant noise associated with certain workplaces, such as textile industry factories, is driving up blood pressure, research shows. — Photo: K M Asad/dpa
Constant banging and rattling at work does not just disrupt concentration or cause hearing problems such as tinnitus, it can contribute to stress and high blood pressure or hypertension.
Researchers looked at the effects of high noise levels in clothing factories in Bangladesh, finding 3 in 10 of workers assessed had hypertension, a condition estimated to affect around a billion people and to contribute to premature deaths linked to related conditions such obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
"While the mechanism is still not well-explored, it is thought that the stress response by the body to chronic sound exposure causes hormonal imbalances that gradually leads to a permanent elevation of blood pressure,” said Golam Dastageer Prince of the Directorate of General Health Services in Bangladesh.
Around half the remaining workers were “prehypertensive,” according to the researchers, who said their assessments factored in other potential contributory factors such as weight and smoking.
The workers surveyed averaged nearly 16 years of on-the-job exposure to noise intensity ranging from 96-111 decibels, above the recommended maximum of 85 decibels over an 8-hour shift.
"As the study focused on workers exposed to more than 85 decibels noise for long periods of time, any profession causing workers to experience similar exposure might experience similar blood pressure impacts,” Prince said, adding that the findings, which were presented at a conference in India run by The American College of Cardiology, highlight the need for workers to wear protective gear. – dpa
