Abstract:
Objective To investigate the prevalence of dyslipidemia among workers and its association with occupational noise exposure in the automobile manufacturing industry, providing a scientific basis for the prevention and control of dyslipidemia in high-risk workers.
Methods In 2024, workers from an automobile manufacturing enterprise in Guangzhou were studied, and their general demographic information and clinical examination data of blood lipid levels were collected. Cumulative noise exposure (CNE) was used to assess individual noise exposure levels. After balancing confounding factors, including age, monthly income, shift work, night shifts, and use of hearing protection devices, between high noise-exposed and low noise-exposed groups using propensity score matching (PSM), a logistic regression model was employed to analyze the association between occupational noise exposure and dyslipidemia. Interaction analyses were further conducted to explore potential effect modifiers.
Results Before PSM, the detection rate of dyslipidemia in the high noise-exposed group (CNE ≥ 86.6 dB·year) was 38.3% (369/963), which was significantly higher than that in the low noise-exposed group (26.1%, 251/963, P < 0.001). Following PSM matching for the aforementioned confounding factors, a total of 605 pairs of study subjects were included in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis revealed that, compared to the low noise-exposed group, the risk of dyslipidemia was 1.295 times higher in the high noise-exposed group (95%CI: 1.013 to 1.656, P = 0.039). Results from the interaction analysis indicated that potential effect modifiers, including age, BMI, educational level, income, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, shift work, night shifts, use of hearing protection devices, and intake of meat and vegetables, had no statistically significant modifying effect on the association between occupational noise exposure and dyslipidemia (all interaction terms: P > 0.05).
Conclusions Occupational noise exposure was associated with dyslipidemia. It is recommended that workplaces actively implement noise control measures, including the introduction of low-noise production equipment and the adoption of job rotation systems, to effectively reduce the health risks associated with occupational noise exposure.