Analysis of a hearing conservation program data base: factors other than workplace noise.

The hearing conservation records of a large, multiple-facility printing company were obtained. The records were analyzed for factors associated with Standard Threshold Shift. These factors included hearing levels, employee age and sex, occupational and nonoccupational noise exposure histories, and medical history. The analysis revealed that statistically significant factors associated with Standard Threshold Shift were from medical and nonoccupational noise exposure histories, and not occupational noise exposure.