1. Binge Listening Is exposure to leisure noise causing hearing loss in young Australians?
Harvey Dillon, Warwick Williams, Megan Gilliver, Elizabeth Beach

2. Noise-induced hearing loss
Work-related
hearing loss
Leisure-related
Work-related
hearing loss
Leisure-related
Work-related
hearing loss
Leisure-related
Work-related
hearing loss
Leisure-related

3. Overview
Australian Hearing on-line survey of 1000 people aged 18 to 35
Dosimeter measurements at various leisure activities
Measurements of actual noise exposure from MP3 players

4. Measuring noise levels in leisure activities4

5. - Have to shout to be heard - Can cause permanent hearing loss
NOISE
A crash course in
< 75 dB
SAFE
75 – 85 dB
LOUD
> 85 dB
VERY LOUD
- Have to shout to be heard
- Can cause permanent hearing loss 5

6. Workplace Noise Limits
85 dB
for
8 hours
= 1 ADE
(acceptable daily exposure)
88 dB
4 hours
91 dB
2 hours
94 dB
1 hour
97 dB
30 min
100 dB
15 min 6

7. Noise levels in leisure activities
Average noise level (dB) 7

8. Leisure noise exposure on a typical night out
Noise level: 100 dB for 4 hours = 16 ADEs
Enter Club A 89 dB
Enter Club B
106 dB
Enter
Club C
104 dB
114 dB
64 dB
85 dB
9:34pm
1:42am 8

9. Binge Listening 9

10. Risky activities Risk Loudness Exposure time (how long, how often)
How many people
Mixing many high risk activities

11. Life-time noise exposure
Activities change over life
So noise/sound exposure changes
Noise injury due to noise exposure is cumulative over the life-time
Using a ‘noise exposure profile’ can highlight the most significant noise sources for typical individuals
Prevention activities can be better targeted

12. Sound exposure profile over a life-time
Sound exposures add up!
42-year old with accumulated noise-exposure of a 60 year-old
Williams, 2008

13. Level x time x regularity = exposure

14. Annual noise dose

15. Attendance at night clubs / dance parties

16. Night-club / dance venue
97 dB
Sporting event
93 dB
Gym with music
92 dB
Concert
84 dB
Pub/club
83 dB

17. Club sound levels during the evening

18. MP3 player use

19. Personal stereo players (PSP)
Long term study
Average level (LAeq) 84 dB
Average use per day ~2:20 h:m
Average exposure (LAeq,8h) 78 dB
Users potentially at risk 23%
Users seriously at risk ~4%

20. MP3 exposure levels

21. MP3 daily noise doses

22. Total annual leisure exposure (5 activities)
747
13% get more than one year’s max acceptable noise dose each year

23. Total annual leisure exposure (MP3 use)
24% get more than one year’s max acceptable noise dose each year

24. Total annual leisure exposure (MP3 use)+
43% get more than one year’s max acceptable noise dose each year

25. Does age and gender affect exposure?

26. Is exposure affecting self-rated hearing difficulty?

27. Is MP3 player use affecting hearing difficulty?

28. Do noise-exposed people perceive the risk to their hearing from leisure noise?

29. Do noise-exposed people perceive the risk to their hearing from MP3 exposure?

30. Do noise-exposed people perceive the risk to their hearing from leisure sound exposure?

31. Is it permanent?

34. There is reasonable awareness about noise and hearing loss
Noise Causes Damage
Awareness of Risk:
You can damage your hearing when exposed to loud noise at events like concerts and nightclubs (85% agree)
Being exposed to noise at sporting events and gym classes can damage people’s hearing (40% agree)
Awareness of Hearing loss:
Damage is permanent
Once your hearing is damaged it cannot ever be restored to its original state (63% agree)
These days, if you damage your hearing, the medical profession can’t bring it back to its original state (59% agree) 34

35. Stages of Change Reported Behaviour 14% 48% 39% 35
Going deaf is something old people to have to deal with.
Loud noise doesn’t bother me. I like my music loud.
I think loud noise/music can permanently damage hearing
- but I don’t take any action to avoid it
Sometimes after loud noise/music I get ringing in my ears.
It worries me a bit, until it goes away
I worry about short and long term effects of loud noise/music
I try to avoid and/or limit my exposure.
Stages of Change
14%
48%
39% 35

36. Exposure varies between behaviour groups36

37. Conclusions - Exposure
Most people enjoy leisure activities safely
Clubbing and MP3 use both impart dangerous noise doses to a small proportion of young people
Those with the greatest noise exposure report the greatest number of hearing loss symptoms
Exposure diminishes with age over the range 18 to 35 years
Life-time risk depends on years of exposure, and work-related exposure
MP3 exposure (per person) may be dropping over time

38. Conclusions - Awareness
There is widespread awareness that excessive sound causes hearing loss, but:
Over 20% of those with high leisure noise exposure think they personally have little or no risk, even if they know there is a general link
More than 1/3 of people don’t realise that sound-induced hearing loss is permanent.

39. Acknowledgments
Hearing loss prevention program, Office of Hearing Services, Department of Health and Ageing
Australian Hearing, Marketing and Communication team
The Hearing CRC