Special Aspects of Rehabilitation Programs Organization of Locomotive Crews Employees with Occupational Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: a Review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Preserving the health of the working population is a priority task of modern medicine; in this case, special attentionshould be paid to specialists working under the influence of harmful production factors, such as noise, vibration and other physical andchemical factors. Such professional groups include employees of railway transport, in particular, employees of locomotive crews. Themost common occupational disease in this occupational group is sensorineural hearing loss.The review presented the main areas of work on the treatment and rehabilitation of locomotive crews workers, depending on thedegree of hearing loss. The effectiveness of early diagnosis, the need to form risk groups for dynamic observation and in-depthexamination, the use of various medicinal and physical methods to restore auditory function in the initial manifestations of hearingloss, which will keep qualified personnel able to work in their profession, were analyzed. Non-specific changes associated with noiseexposure and methods for their correction were also considered.AIM. To summarize literature data on the organization of rehabilitation programs for employees of locomotive crews with occupationalsensorineural hearing loss.CONCLUSION. The development of rehabilitation programs for the correction of auditory function in employees of locomotive crewsrequires an integrated approach, with the earliest possible start of rehabilitation measures, the use of medical and physical methodsof medical rehabilitation.

Keywords

• medical rehabilitation
• railway transport
• workers of locomotive crews
• risk factors
• occupational disease
• early diagnosis