{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T19:09:47Z","timestamp":1772132987361,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772064000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosglobalpublichealth.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLOS Glob Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Occupational noise exposure is a major cause of auditory dysfunction worldwide, and generator technicians in Nigeria represent a vulnerable informal workforce with prolonged exposure to high decibel noise. We conducted a population\u2011based, cross\u2011sectional cohort study of 73 generator technicians (age range 14\u201357 years, mean 34.9\u2009\u00b1\u200910.2 years). Subjective, non\u2011pulsatile tinnitus was assessed via a structured questionnaire, audiometric thresholds were measured using pure tone audiometry (PTA), and cochlear function was evaluated with distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). Logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of tinnitus. Overall tinnitus prevalence was 45.2%, increasing across age groups from 33.3% in participants aged 14\u201324 years to 60% in those aged \u226555 years. Cross\u2011tabulation revealed tinnitus was most common among participants with normal PTA but failed OAE (100%). Logistic regression identified \u226510 years of occupational noise exposure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 4.44) and OAE failure (aOR = 10.1) as independent predictors. Tinnitus was highly prevalent among this cohort of generator technicians and strongly associated with prolonged exposure and OAE failure. These findings underscore the complementary diagnostic role of OAE testing and highlight the urgent need for workplace hearing conservation strategies in informal sectors.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pgph.0005032","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T18:29:35Z","timestamp":1772130575000},"page":"e0005032","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Tinnitus and occupational noise exposure among informal generator technicians in Nigeria: A pilot cohort study"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"6","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4207-7981","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Fatimah Isma\u2019il","family":"Tsiga-Ahmed","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3147-5714","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Nafisatu","family":"Bello-Muhammad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0149-0315","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Abdulazeez","family":"Ahmed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]]},"reference":[{"issue":"10","key":"pgph.0005032.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"959","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaoto.2016.1700","article-title":"Prevalence, Severity, Exposures, and Treatment Patterns of Tinnitus in the United States","volume":"142","author":"JM Bhatt","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg"},{"issue":"8","key":"pgph.0005032.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"711","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjmed.2010.02.015","article-title":"Prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus among US adults","volume":"123","author":"J Shargorodsky","year":"2010","journal-title":"Am J Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1159\/000306630","article-title":"Epidemiological study of chronic tinnitus in Assiut, Egypt","volume":"35","author":"EM Khedr","year":"2010","journal-title":"Neuroepidemiology"},{"issue":"2","key":"pgph.0005032.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1111\/coa.12232","article-title":"Prevalence and risk factors of tinnitus: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2011, a cross-sectional study","volume":"39","author":"RJ Park","year":"2014","journal-title":"Clin Otolaryngol"},{"issue":"12","key":"pgph.0005032.ref005","first-page":"886","article-title":"Tinnitus: an epidemiologic study in Iranian population","volume":"51","author":"M Jalessi","year":"2013","journal-title":"Acta Med Iran"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heares.2016.05.009","article-title":"A systematic review of the reporting of tinnitus prevalence and severity","volume":"337","author":"A McCormack","year":"2016","journal-title":"Hear Res"},{"issue":"11","key":"pgph.0005032.ref007","first-page":"1038","article-title":"Research progress in auditory center plasticity and tinnitus mechanism","volume":"35","author":"Y Luo","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lin Chuang Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi"},{"issue":"42","key":"pgph.0005032.ref008","first-page":"133","article-title":"Tinnitus: etiology, classification, characteristics, and treatment","volume":"8","author":"Y Chan","year":"2009","journal-title":"Discov Med"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.5935\/0946-5448.20210015","article-title":"Etiology and Pathophysiology of Tinnitus - A Systematic Review","volume":"25","author":"SK Makar","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int Tinnitus J"},{"issue":"3","key":"pgph.0005032.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1169","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm12031169","article-title":"Tinnitus and Its Relation to Depression, Anxiety, and Stress-A Population-Based Cohort Study","volume":"12","author":"B Hackenberg","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"issue":"4","key":"pgph.0005032.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.31254\/jmr.2022.8406","article-title":"Prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with tinnitus","volume":"8","author":"M Singh","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Med Res"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1131979","DOI":"10.3389\/fnagi.2023.1131979","article-title":"The association between stress, emotional states, and tinnitus: a mini-review","volume":"15","author":"JD Patil","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Aging Neurosci"},{"issue":"2","key":"pgph.0005032.ref013","first-page":"88","article-title":"Analysis of Hearing and Tinnitus in Workers Exposed to Occupational Noise","volume":"20","author":"ME Boger","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int Tinnitus J"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1186\/s40463-017-0219-x","article-title":"Current insights in noise-induced hearing loss: a literature review of the underlying mechanism, pathophysiology, asymmetry, and management options","volume":"46","author":"TN Le","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.5935\/0946-5448.20210016","article-title":"Tinnitus characteristics at high-and low-risk occupations from occupational noise exposure standpoint","volume":"25","author":"M Asghari","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int Tinnitus J"},{"issue":"09","key":"pgph.0005032.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"995","DOI":"10.4236\/health.2021.139075","article-title":"Occupational Hearing Hazards among Informal Sector Welders in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo","volume":"13","author":"N Mutangala","year":"2021","journal-title":"Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pgph.0005032.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1080\/20421338.2017.1400711","article-title":"Assessment of noise-levels of generator-sets in seven cities of South-Southern Nigeria","volume":"10","author":"O Ibhadode","year":"2018","journal-title":"African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development"},{"issue":"3","key":"pgph.0005032.ref018","first-page":"45","article-title":"Widespread use of electric generators: effects on environment\u2014assessment of Gbadebo Business Centre, Mokola, Ibadan","volume":"6","author":"S Bello","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int Res J Innov Eng Technol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref019","first-page":"226","article-title":"Assessment of noise from diesel generators used in GSM base stations in Kano metropolis, Nigeria","volume":"4","author":"BM Adam","year":"2020","journal-title":"FUDMA Journal of Sciences"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109713","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apacoust.2023.109713","article-title":"Proliferation of noise pollution: Implication on health and community perception in coastal slums","volume":"214","author":"O Princess Okimiji","year":"2023","journal-title":"Applied Acoustics"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.18203\/2394-6040.ijcmph20214837","article-title":"Hearing impairment and associated socio-demographic characteristics in patients with tinnitus","volume":"9","author":"DA Khan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Community Med Public Health"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref022","article-title":"Tinnitus risk factors and its evolution over time: a cohort study","author":"L Hobeika","year":"2024","journal-title":"medRxiv"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.3389\/fnhum.2016.00341","article-title":"Impact of Multiple Factors on the Degree of Tinnitus Distress","volume":"10","author":"P Br\u00fcggemann","year":"2016","journal-title":"Front Hum Neurosci"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2011-000512","article-title":"Occupation and the risk of bothersome tinnitus: results from a prospective cohort study (HUNT)","volume":"2","author":"B Engdahl","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"5","key":"pgph.0005032.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3879","DOI":"10.1121\/1.5134465","article-title":"Occupational noise exposure: A review of its effects, epidemiology, and impact with recommendations for reducing its burden","volume":"146","author":"CL Themann","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Acoust Soc Am"},{"issue":"8","key":"pgph.0005032.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2971","DOI":"10.1007\/s12070-025-05617-y","article-title":"An Examination of Tinnitus and Cochlear Functionality in both Hearing Impaired and Normally Hearing Individuals. The Relationship between Tinnitus and Cochlear Functions in Individuals with Hearing Impairment and those with Normal Hearing","volume":"77","author":"P Pavlidis","year":"2025","journal-title":"Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg"},{"issue":"6","key":"pgph.0005032.ref027","first-page":"7","article-title":"Correlation between otoacoustic emission and pure tone audiometry in diagnosing a case of presbycusis","volume":"3","author":"AS Abdur Rahman","year":"2017","journal-title":"Annals of International Medical and Dental Research"},{"issue":"6","key":"pgph.0005032.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"699","DOI":"10.1007\/s10162-025-01018-8","article-title":"On the Sharpness of Auditory Filters: Considering Subclinical Deficits Reveals Sharper Otoacoustic Emission Estimates of Frequency Selectivity in Humans","volume":"26","author":"S Aryal","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Assoc Res Otolaryngol"},{"issue":"2","key":"pgph.0005032.ref029","first-page":"52","article-title":"Association between suppression of otoacoustic emissions and annoyance levels in tinnitus patients with normal hearing","volume":"19","author":"LSM Serra","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int Tinnitus J"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref030","first-page":"6","article-title":"Specific findings in distortion product otoacoustic emissions and growth functions with chronic tinnitus","volume":"11","author":"G Hesse","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int Tinnitus J"},{"issue":"15","key":"pgph.0005032.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14155232","article-title":"Tinnitus in Normal-Hearing Individuals: Is Outer Hair Cell Dysfunction the Mechanism?","volume":"14","author":"T Chimona","year":"2025","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"issue":"3","key":"pgph.0005032.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"291","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anl.2009.09.009","article-title":"Quantitative analysis of cochlear active mechanisms in tinnitus subjects with normal hearing sensitivity: multiparametric recording of evoked otoacoustic emissions and contralateral suppression","volume":"37","author":"A Paglialonga","year":"2010","journal-title":"Auris Nasus Larynx"},{"issue":"4","key":"pgph.0005032.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1523\/ENEURO.0250-18.2018","article-title":"Central compensation in auditory brainstem after damaging noise exposure","volume":"5","author":"KM Schrode","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eneuro"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8842073","DOI":"10.1155\/np\/8842073","article-title":"Long-Term Moderate-Level Noise Exposure Caused Hyperexcitability in the Central Auditory System","volume":"2025","author":"F Xu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Neural Plast"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-35647-6_18","article-title":"Central Gain Model for Tinnitus: A Review on Noise-Induced Plasticity or When Less at the Periphery Is More in the Center.","volume-title":"Textbook of Tinnitus","author":"V Parameshwarappa","year":"2024"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref036","first-page":"7438461","article-title":"Auditory neural plasticity in tinnitus mechanisms and management","volume":"2020","author":"K Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Neural Plasticity"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2025.1620894","article-title":"Neuroplasticity and tinnitus: the role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in pathogenesis and treatment","volume":"19","author":"V Miranda","year":"2025","journal-title":"Frontiers in Neuroscience"},{"issue":"9","key":"pgph.0005032.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"888","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaneurol.2022.2189","article-title":"Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis","volume":"79","author":"CM Jarach","year":"2022","journal-title":"JAMA Neurol"},{"issue":"4","key":"pgph.0005032.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"546","DOI":"10.3390\/audiolres13040048","article-title":"Identifying Health-Related Conditions Associated with Tinnitus in Young Adults","volume":"13","author":"IS Bhatt","year":"2023","journal-title":"Audiol Res"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-35647-6_4","article-title":"Epidemiology of Tinnitus: Frequency of the Condition","author":"CM Jarach","year":"2024","journal-title":"Textbook of Tinnitus. Springer International Publishing"},{"issue":"1","key":"pgph.0005032.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"298","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-21548-3","article-title":"Association of hearing loss with cognitive function and mental health in Africa: A systematic review","volume":"25","author":"A Ahmed","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"issue":"6","key":"pgph.0005032.ref042","article-title":"Tinnitus with a normal audiogram: Is hearing damage missed by conventional testing?","volume":"7","author":"BT Paul","year":"2020","journal-title":"Canadian Audiologist"},{"issue":"5","key":"pgph.0005032.ref043","article-title":"Preventing Excessive Noise Exposure in Infants, Children, and Adolescents","volume":"152","author":"COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SECTION ON OTOLARYNGOLOGY\u2013HEAD AND NECK SURGERY","year":"2023","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref044","volume-title":"Occupational noise: assessing the burden of disease from work-related hearing impairment at national and local levels","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2004"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref045","unstructured":"International Labour Organization. Noise | Occupational Safety and Health Guide for Labour Inspectors. https:\/\/www.ilo.org\/topics-and-sectors\/occupational-safety-and-health-guide-labour-inspectors-and-other\/noise. 2025."},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref046","volume-title":"Textbook of Tinnitus","author":"JJ Eggermont","year":"2024"},{"key":"pgph.0005032.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1172081","DOI":"10.3389\/fnint.2023.1172081","article-title":"Editorial: Noise-induced hearing loss: From basic to clinical research","volume":"17","author":"Z Huang","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Integr Neurosci"}],"container-title":["PLOS Global Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0005032","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]],"date-time":"2026-02-26T18:29:47Z","timestamp":1772130587000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0005032"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Julia","family":"Robinson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]]},"references-count":47,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0005032","relation":{},"ISSN":["2767-3375"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2767-3375","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,26]]}}}