An Estimation of the Whole-of-Life Noise Exposure of Adolescent and Young Adult Australians with Hearing Impairment

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (09) ◽  
pp. 750-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyndal Carter ◽  
Deborah Black ◽  
Anita Bundy ◽  
Warwick Williams
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Young People ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Phase Study ◽  
Risk Criterion

Background: Since amplified music gained widespread popularity, there has been community concern that leisure-noise exposure may cause hearing loss in adolescents and young adults who would otherwise be free from hearing impairment. Repeated exposure to personal stereo players and music events (e.g., nightclubbing, rock concerts, and music festivals) are of particular concern. The same attention has not been paid to leisure-noise exposure risks for young people with hearing impairment (either present from birth or acquired before adulthood). This article reports on the analysis of a subset of data (leisure participation measures) collected during a large, two-phase study of the hearing health, attitudes, and behaviors of 11- to 35-yr-old Australians conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories (n = 1,667 hearing threshold level datasets analyzed). The overall aim of the two-phase study was to determine whether a relationship between leisure-noise exposure and hearing loss exists. Purpose: In the current study, the leisure activity profiles and accumulated (“whole-of-life”) noise exposures of young people with (1) hearing impairment and (2) with normal hearing were compared. Research Design: Cross-sectional cohort study. Study Sample: Hearing impaired (HI) group, n = 125; normal (nonimpaired) hearing (NH) group, n = 296, analyzed in two age-based subsets: adolescents (13- to 17-yr-olds) and young adults (18- to 24-yr-olds). Data Collection and Analysis: Participant survey. The χ2 test was used to identify systematic differences between the leisure profiles and exposure estimates of the HI and NH groups. Whole-of-life noise exposure was estimated by adapting techniques described in ISO 1999. Results: For adolescents, leisure profiles were similar for the two groups and few individuals exceeded the stated risk criterion. For young adults, participation was significantly lower for the HI group for 7 out of 18 leisure activities surveyed. Activity diversity and whole-of-life exposure were also significantly lower for the HI group young adults. A substantial number of individuals in both groups reported participation in leisure activities known to involve high noise levels (HI < NH). The individual whole-of-life exposures for the HI and NH participants were estimated and group median exposures were calculated. The median exposure for HI group young adults was significantly lower than that for the NH group (710 versus 1,615 Pa2 h [Pascal squared hours]). Conclusions: The number of young adults with estimated exposure above the chosen noise-risk criterion in the NH group is concerning. With respect to the goals of hearing loss prevention initiatives, the more conservative social behavior (e.g., less nightclubbing) observed among HI group young adults may be regarded as a positive finding, but it could also signify relative social disadvantage for some young adults with hearing impairment.

scholarly journals More to Lose? Noise-Risk Perceptions of Young Adults with Hearing Impairment

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (04) ◽  
pp. 319-331
Author(s):  
Deborah Black ◽  
Lyndal Carter
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Peer Group ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Chi Square

AbstractThis study investigated the attitudes and behaviors of young adults with hearing impairment (HI), in relation to leisure noise. It was hypothesized that young people with HI would have more negative perceptions of noise exposure than their peers with nonimpaired (normal) hearing (NH) and would engage more frequently in self-protective behaviors. Questionnaires were administered as part of a larger study of young Australians with: (1) preadult onset HI and (2) NH. Data from adults (age range 18 to 24 years; n = 79 with HI, n = 131 with NH) were selected for the current analysis. Attitudes data for HI and NH groups were compared using chi-square tests, and the reported use of hearing aids and personal hearing protectors (PHPs) in leisure environments was quantified. Most participants with HI and NH regarded leisure noise as a health hazard but rated their own noise-injury risk as lower than that of their peer group. The use of PHPs was low overall, and many participants with HI reported using hearing aids (switched on) during noisy leisure activities. An equal and substantial proportion of participants with HI and NH reported dislike and avoidance of loud activities. Systematic noise management in leisure environments would address noise-injury risk and also enhance social participation.

Evidence of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Young People Studying Popular Music

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Barlow
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Young People ◽  
Popular Music ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Classical Music ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Music Students ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss

The number of students studying popular music, music technology, and sound engineering courses at both school and university to has increased rapidly in the last few years. These students are generally involved in music-making/recording and listening to a high level, usually in environments with amplified music. Recent studies have shown that these students are potentially exposed to a high risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and are not covered by the same regulatory framework as employees. This study examined the pure tone air conduction hearing thresholds of 50 undergraduate students, including recent school leavers, on a range of popular music courses, to assess if there was evidence of hearing loss. Forty-four percent of students showed evidence of audiometric notch at 4–6 kHz, and 16% were classified under the UK Occupational Health and Safety guidelines as exhibiting mild hearing loss. Instance of audiometric notch was considerably higher than reported from studies of the general population but was around the same level or lower than that reported from studies of “traditional” music courses and conservatoires, suggesting no higher risk for popular music students than for “classical” music students. No relationship with age was present, suggesting that younger students were as likely to exhibit audiometric notch as mature students. This indicates that these students may be damaging their hearing through leisure activities while still at school, suggesting a need for robust education measures to focus on noise exposure of young people.

Evidence that hidden hearing loss does not vary systematically as a function of noise exposure in young adults with normal audiometric hearing

2016 ◽  
Vol 139 (4) ◽  
pp. 2122-2122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garreth Prendergast ◽  
Hannah Guest ◽  
Agnès Léger ◽  
Kevin Munro ◽  
Karolina Kluk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Hidden Hearing Loss

scholarly journals Personal Music Players Use and Other Noise Hazards among Children 11 to 12 Years Old

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6934
Author(s):  
Weronika Swierniak ◽  
Elzbieta Gos ◽  
Piotr Henryk Skarzynski ◽  
Natalia Czajka ◽  
Henryk Skarzynski
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Computer Games ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Convincing Evidence ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Thresholds ◽  
The Impact

Exposure to loud music—due to widespread personal music players (PMPs) and noisy leisure activities—are major risk factors for noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) in adolescents. However, there is little evidence of the impact of noise on the hearing of younger children. This study aimed to explore an association between PMP use and hearing, and to identify other sources of noise among children. The study sample consisted of 1032 children aged 11–12 years old. Hearing thresholds were determined from 0.5 to 8 kHz. PMP use and other noise exposures were evaluated using a survey. We found that 82% of the children had a PMP, and 78% were exposed to noise when playing computer games. An audiometric notch was documented in 1.3% of the children. Only 11.5% of the children ever used hearing protection while engaged in noisy activities. We found no convincing evidence of an association between PMP use and hearing thresholds, although our results suggest that tinnitus may be an early sign of NIHL in young children. The study shows a need to provide children, their parents, and educators with knowledge of how to take care of hearing, including how to avoid and minimize noise exposure.

Hearing loss from noise exposure is an urgent problem of occupational medicine

2020 ◽  
pp. 713-713
Author(s):  
V. B. Pankova ◽  
M. F. Vilk ◽  
N. A. Daikhes
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Occupational Medicine ◽  
Occupational Diseases ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing ◽  
Urgent Problem ◽  
Industrial Noise ◽  
Clinical Stages

Modern, problematic issues of prevalence, structure and high rates of hearing loss from exposure to industrial noise in the form of clinical stages of chronic sensorineural hearing loss are reflected. The possibility of harmonization of the List of occupational diseases of the ICD 10th and 11th reviews in hearing impairment is discussed

Hearing Impairment among Orchestral Musicians

1988 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald H. Woolford ◽  
Edward C. Carterette ◽  
Donald E. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Symphony Orchestras ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
Legal Rules ◽  
Phase Study ◽  
Three Phase ◽  
Concurrent Study ◽  
Orchestral Musicians

It would seem anomalous that an orchestral musician would have less than normal hearing in order to monitor an exacting musical output. However, some recent studies show that a proportion of symphony musicians do have hearing impairments of various pathologies of which noise exposure, including the music alone, is the dominant causal factor. Intense music exposures in symphony orchestras often exceed the intensity standards of hearing conversation. A basic procedure for industrial hearing conservation is the control of the sound at the source, but the very purpose of the orchestra prevents its use. Hearing protection which is used voluntarily by some musicians presents a different sound picture. The control of intensity of music exposures is necessary but is separate from the concern of the present study with industrial issues and the perceptual-motor performance of musicians. Relevant aspects which are briefly reviewed include the incidence, susceptibility, and severity of hearing impairment among musicians; musical performance of the hearing impaired and the effects of various pathologies on their performance; medical-legal rules of impairment, disability, and handicap; and the incidence of compensible losses among musicians of certain orchestras. Illustrative results are presented of a preliminary study of hearing among 13 volunteer members of The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. It is suggested that a three- phase study be done: (1) a comparative study of hearing among symphony orchestras; (2) development of comprehensive tests to determine hearing-related performance; (3) provision of a rational basis for hearing criteria in the case of musicians for dealing with their employment, transfer, retirement, disability, handicap, and award of compensation. A fourth issue requiring concurrent study is the conserving of the hearing of orchestral musicians.

No evidence for hidden hearing loss due to noise exposure in young adults with a normal audiogram

2016 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 3152-3152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Kluk ◽  
Garreth Prendergast ◽  
Hannah Guest ◽  
Kevin J. Munro ◽  
Agnès Léger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Hidden Hearing Loss

scholarly journals Leisure Noise Exposure and Associated Health-Risk Behavior in Adolescents: An Explanatory Study among Two Different Educational Programs in Flanders

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8033
Author(s):  
Sofie Degeest ◽  
Hannah Keppler ◽  
Bart Vinck
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Conservation Programs ◽  
Hearing Conservation ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Risk Taking Behavior

Adolescents frequently engage in noisy leisure activities which can result in hearing-related problems. However, the effect of leisure noise exposure is liable to an individual’s risk-taking behavior. Identifying leisure noise activities and relevant factors related to risk-taking behavior in adolescents, are important to optimize hearing conservation programs targeting youngsters. The purpose of the study was to explore the presence of hearing-related symptoms, as well as noise exposure during various activities, and the use of hearing protector devices (HPDs) in adolescents in two educational programs in Flanders. In addition, their attitudes and beliefs towards noise, hearing loss, and HPDs were investigated. The final sample consisted of 247 adolescents. The most important hearing-related symptoms after noise exposure were tinnitus and noise sensitivity. With regard to leisure noise exposure, listening to PMPs was most frequently reported. The use of HPDs during most noisy activities was limited, in accordance with the presence of hearing-related symptoms, considering noise as unproblematic, and having worse scores on subscales of the beliefs about hearing protection and hearing loss scale. In the future, hearing conservation programs should target adolescents specifically for a more health-orientated behavior towards noise exposure, hearing loss, and HPDs.

scholarly journals Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Functions of Autophagy for Genetics of Hearing Impairment

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1331
Author(s):  
Ken Hayashi ◽  
Yuna Suzuki ◽  
Chisato Fujimoto ◽  
Sho Kanzaki
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Spiral Ganglion ◽  
Eukaryotic Cell ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

The etiology of hearing impairment following cochlear damage can be caused by many factors, including congenital or acquired onset, ototoxic drugs, noise exposure, and aging. Regardless of the many different etiologies, a common pathologic change is auditory cell death. It may be difficult to explain hearing impairment only from the aspect of cell death including apoptosis, necrosis, or necroptosis because the level of hearing loss varies widely. Therefore, we focused on autophagy as an intracellular phenomenon functionally competing with cell death. Autophagy is a dynamic lysosomal degradation and recycling system in the eukaryotic cell, mandatory for controlling the balance between cell survival and cell death induced by cellular stress, and maintaining homeostasis of postmitotic cells, including hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) in the inner ear. Autophagy is considered a candidate for the auditory cell fate decision factor, whereas autophagy deficiency could be one of major causes of hearing impairment. In this paper, we review the molecular mechanisms and biologic functions of autophagy in the auditory system and discuss the latest research concerning autophagy-related genes and sensorineural hearing loss to gain insight into the role of autophagic mechanisms in inner-ear disorders.

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