The contribution of personal audio system use and commuting by bus on daily noise dose

Background:

For many young people, exposure to music from personal audio system use may represent a significant component of daily noise dose. Moreover, there is increasing concern for the hearing of those who listen at high volumes. The purpose of this study was to determine the noise levels experienced on commuter buses, and to investigate how these impact on the volume-setting behavior of young adult personal audio system users.

Methods:

A questionnaire was used to probe transport use, personal audio system-listening behaviors and the extent of understanding about noise-induced hearing loss. The influence of bus noise on volume-setting behavior was determined by measuring, in a lab setting, the sound-level preferences of participants when listening to their favorite song, a generic song, or a podcast in the absence and presence of various levels of bus noise, simulated using output-adjusted recordings made of bus noise. Statistical analysis was conducted using analysis of variance.

Results:

While the bus noise itself was below 85 dB Leq, as the sound level of the buses increased, so did the percentage of commuters who were found to exceed the equivalent of 8 hours of exposure at 85 dB Leq.

Implications:

Investment in buses with lower noise levels or the use of noise-canceling or noise-occluding headphones would help to reduce the likelihood of noise-induced hearing loss for bus commuters.

Objective Measurement of Listening Device Use and Its Relation to Hearing Acuity

Objectives

To examine whether adolescents exceed recommended noise exposure limits when using personal listening devices (PLDs) and to investigate the relationship between objectively measured PLD use and hearing thresholds

Study Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

This study was embedded within an ongoing prospective birth cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Data were collected from May 2017 to September 2019.

Methods

A smartphone application was developed to measure daily noise exposure from PLDs. Listening habits were monitored among 314 adolescents with a mean age of 13 years 7 months (SD, 5 months), of whom 51.6% were male. Hearing acuity was measured by pure tone audiometry, and tympanometry was performed in both ears.

Results

Within the study group, 2.2% adolescents exceeded the recommended daily noise dose (85 dBA as an 8-hour time-weighted average) among all days when the application was active and 9.9% when among only the listening days. No significant correlation was found between the daily noise dose from PLDs and pure tone thresholds.

Conclusions

The majority of adolescents exhibited listening habits that could be considered safe. As noise-induced hearing loss develops slowly over time, it could be that the effects of PLD use on hearing are not evident yet in this young population with a relatively short duration of PLD use.

Use of Personal Listening Devices and Knowledge/Attitude for Greater Hearing Conservation in College Students: Data Analysis and Regression Model Based on 1009 Respondents

Given the concern regarding increased hearing loss in young people who use personal listening devices (PLDs), the present study analyzes the experience of PLDs among college students to identify their knowledge of and attitude toward hearing conservation. It also explains their relationship between knowledge of hearing loss and attitude-related hearing conservation as a questionnaire response using a regression model. A total of 1009 Korean college students responded to an online questionnaire. As a survey tool, the Personal Listening Device and Hearing Questionnaire was adapted as a Korean version with 78 modified items under 9 categories. Using principal component analysis, specific factors were extracted, and their relationships and paths were confirmed using multiple regression analysis. The results of the knowledge category of the questionnaire indicate that most respondents knew how to maintain healthy hearing and understood the signs of hearing loss. Regardless, many college students habitually use PLDs at high levels in noisy environments; they do not recognize how to prevent hearing loss. Even though they continue their current use pattern for PLDs, they also had a positive attitude toward receiving more information about hearing conservation. According to the regression model, the students' self-reported hearing deficits were due to the volume rather than the frequent use. Interestingly, knowledge about hearing loss may encourage students to develop a positive attitude toward reasonable restriction of PLD use. When PLD users have detailed knowledge about the hearing loss provided by professionals, we believe that most will avoid serious hearing problems and its risks and maintain a judicious attitude toward their own conservation.

The Effects of Short-Term and Long-term Hearing Changes on Music Exposure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The present study explores the scientific evidence on whether music exposure temporarily or permanently affects hearing sensitivity in young adults. Six electronic databases were searched using related keywords for the four categories of personal listening devices, listening habits, hearing outcomes, and age. The Hedges’ g and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. A Higgins I² was also used to check for heterogeneity. To test for publication bias, funnel plots were drawn using Egger’s regression. Based on the inclusion criteria, 16 studies were divided into two groups to identify short-term hearing changes (n = 7) and long-term hearing changes (n = 9). In the short term, there was no significant immediate change in the thresholds or amplitudes after the music exposure, although pure-tone thresholds (PTAs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) did show the highest effect size (−0.344, CI −0.727 to 0.038) and (0.124, CI −0.047 to 0.296) at 4 kHz. On the other hand, for long-term hearing changes, the PTA provided the highest effect size at 6 kHz (−0.525, CI −0.897 to −0.154) and 8 kHz (–0.486, CI −0.819 to −0.152), while also implying that habitual and repeated personal listening device (PLD) usage can act on some significant hearing changes in audiological tests. We conclude that the use of a PLD produces a few temporary hearing changes at 4 kHz after its use but that the changes are then reversed. However, it is important to note heavy PLD users’ experience regarding permanent changes in their hearing thresholds at high frequencies, and the public should be educated on this issue.

College students' personal listening device usage and knowledge

OBJECTIVE

To determine the usage and knowledge of safe limits on personal listening devices (PLD) among college students.

DESIGN

First, information on health history was collected. Second, microphone in real ear techniques determined eardrum to free-field correction factors. Third, hearing levels were evaluated and information gathered about knowledge of safe listening behaviors.

STUDY SAMPLE

180 college students participated in a one-hour session using their PLDs and earphones set to their personal preference.

RESULTS

Virtually all participants reported knowledge of hearing loss risk due to PLD use and accurately recognized their own PLD listening levels (p = .01) as either within or exceeding safe sound limits. Forty-four subjects listened at greater than 80-dBA free-field equivalent levels. Only 7% of these participants were aware of these hazardous levels and 15% of participants' exposure surpassed free-field equivalent levels normalized to eight hours.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite reported knowledge of hearing loss risk due to PLD use in virtually all college students, 1 in 4 were found to listen to their PLDs at free-field equivalent levels greater than 80-dBA, with 94% unaware of their potential risk. Further research is needed to provide accurate PLD listening information and evaluate the possibility of long term PLD intensities that surpass recommended safety levels on hearing loss in adults over time.