Effect of Hearing Protection Devices on Anxiety and Depression of Stone Workers

Abstract

Introduction: Noise pollution is physically and psychologically effective on workers. As a preventive strategy, workers are required to wear hearing protection devices. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of these devices and compare the effect of earmuffs and hocks on depression and anxiety of stone workers. Methods and Material: This study is a quasi-experimental study with control-pretest design; simple random sampling was used to select 60 male workers of stone cutting factories existing in Gonabad, Iran. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups (30 people in each group); these groups used earmuffs and hocks for a month. Beck and Hamilton scales were used before and after the intervention to measure anxiety and depression. SPSS-19, paired t-test and independent t-test were used to analyse data. Results: There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of demographic variables, anxiety and depression before the intervention (p>0.05). Anxiety significantly decreased after using protection devices in total samples (p<0.01) and after using earmuffs and hocks in two groups (p<0.01). Anxiety was significantly lower in hocks group than in earmuff group (p<0.01). Moreover, no significant difference was found before and after the intervention in terms of depression in total samples (p>0.05), while only depression significantly decreased after using hocks (p<0.01). Conclusions: Hocks reduce anxiety and depression more than earmuffs in stone workers. Thus, workers of factories in which there is noise pollution are recommended to use hocks.