Assessment of Hearing Acuity among Commercial Motorcyclists (Okada Riders) in the Main Campus of Abia State University Uturu Abia State Nigeria

Abstract

Two hundred motorcycle operators who had lasted for at least one year in the vocation constituted the test population. At the same time, the control group was derived from the staff and students of Abia State University, Uturu, who were sex and age-matched and exposed to low noise levels. Results showed that the noise levels at the operational location of the test population (commercial motorcycle park) was significantly (P<0.001) higher than that recorded at the control site (classrooms and environs). The study revealed that the hearing threshold of the right and left ears of the test group was significantly (P<0.001) higher than that reported for the control group at all the frequencies tested for both air and bone conductions. It was also revealed through this study that the frequency of symptoms associated with high levels of noise was significantly (P<0.001) higher in the test group (motorcycle operators) compared to their control counterparts (staff and students of ABSU). It was also deduced from the study that while 75% of the test population had impaired hearing acuity, 45% of the same case was recorded for the control population. The frequency of symptoms associated with persistent exposure to excessive noise levels was higher in the test subjects than in control. In conclusion, it was established through this study that commercial motorcycle operators within the main campus of Abia State University, Uturu are exposed to excessive noise levels which predisposes them to hear impairment.