The Indonesian Journal of Public Health
Vol. 21 No. 1 (2026): THE INDONESIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH : IN PRESS

THE IMPACT OF EARMUFF USE ON HEARING FUNCTION IMPAIRMENT AND FATIGUE: A TIME SERIES STUDY AMONG WEAVING WORKERS IN SURAKARTA, INDONESIA

Haris Setyawan (Occupational Health and Safety Study Program, Vocational School, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, Indonesia)
Nisa Nur Kusuma (Health Information Management Study Program, Politeknik Assalaam Surakarta, Indonesia)
Ratih Andhika Akbar Rahma (Occupational Health and Safety Study Program, Universitas Darussalam Gontor, Indonesia)
Tofan Agung Eka Prasetya (Health Department, Faculty of Vocational Studies, Universitas Airlangga, Campus B, Surabaya)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 Apr 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Hearing loss is identified to impact 466 million people globally, with workplace noise contributing to 16% of adult hearing function impairment. To address the challenges, using personal protective equipment, such as earmuffs, has become a practical solution. Aims: This study aims to analyze impact of using earmuffs on hearing function impairment and fatigue among weaving workers at PT IIPT Surakarta. Methods: The quasi-experimental study used the time series design method, comprising 33 weaving machine operators. Data were collected over 6 working days, namely the first day before the intervention and the following 5 days during the intervention. A questionnaire with tested validity and reliability was used to assess hearing function impairment and fatigue. Results: The results showed that there was a significant variation in the average scores for hearing function impairment and fatigue during the 6 days of earmuff use. Furthermore, the lowest average score was recorded on the first day, while the highest was recorded on the sixth day. Conclusion: This study shows that earmuffs designed to protect workers from the harmful impact of noise increase the average levels of hearing function impairment and fatigue. Consequently, further studies are recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of the sound-absorbing materials used in earmuffs, as different materials can offer varying benefits in absorbing various sources of sound.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

IJPH

Publisher

Subject

Public Health

Description

The Indonesian Journal of Public Health published since 2004, is a scientific journal article presents the results of research and review of the literature on the development of science that includes the study of Public Health Epidemiology, Administration & Policy Health, Health Promotion and ...