Self-Reported Occupational Noise may be Associated With Prevalent Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the US General Population

INTRODUCTION: Occupational noise exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common in the United States, but so far their association has not been explored. Given the neuroimmunological effects of noise, such an association seems plausible. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the association of occupational noise exposure with prevalent COPD in the US general population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the population-based National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2014. The cross-sectional association of self-reported duration of exposure to very loud noise during participants’ occupational lifetime with self-reported COPD and emphysema was explored using weighted logistic regression. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The fully adjusted model yielded odds ratio (OR)(≥15 years) = 1.68 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28, 2.21] for COPD and OR(≥15 years) = 1.61 (95% CI: 1.13, 2.30) for emphysema. Race/ethnicity was a significant effect modifier. In sensitivity analysis with cumulative noise exposure based on a job exposure matrix, we found no effect. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, we found a relationship between self-reported occupational noise exposure and the risk of prevalent COPD in the US general population, but none with objective noise levels. Being the first study on the subject matter, and given the design limitations, these findings are tentative and should be treated with caution.