Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Young Adults Maeve Derrig & Ann Perreau, PhD Augustana College, Rock Island, IL Results cont’d Background Survey on NIHL Purpose of the survey To determine students’ attitudes towards noise and related symptoms of NIHL Participants 51 total participants Augustana College students (n=44) and high school students(n=7) Methods/Materials 20 item survey that assessed: Listening habits Attitudes towards listening, hearing loss, and hearing loss prevention Use of hearing protection What is noise-induced hearing loss? Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), or damage to the inner ear, affects about 23 million Americans (Noise Induced hearing loss, 2015). Sound levels greater than 85 dBA are damaging to the hearing mechanism (Noise induced hearing loss, 2015). Side effects of noise-induced hearing loss: Tinnitus, difficulty hearing sounds and speech. How is the hearing mechanism damaged by noise? Hair cells bend, break, and buckle due to the excessive vibration of the basilar membrane. In temporary shift, there is often a full recovery to normal hearing thresholds within a few hours. In permanent threshold shift, there is damage to the inner structures from noise, and the ear does not fully recover before it becomes damaged again. This research is important because there is a lack of awareness of NIHL in young adults with regard to personal listening devices (PLDs) and hearing protection. Number of participants Figure 3. The number of participant responses to the statement, “People need to be more informed on the dangers of hearing loss due to loud noise exposure.” Responses were gathered on a five point scale from totally disagree to totally agree. Results Young adults agree that there is a lack of awareness regarding NIHL. How loud were they listening to their personal listening devices? Scale of 1-10: 1= lowest volume setting, 10= highest setting Most participants reported the volume setting was set at a moderate range 5-6=35.3% 7-8=31.4% Additionally, there were some participants that reported listening at a higher volume setting 9-10= 7.98% How long were participants listening to their personal listening devices each day? Categories of 1-2 hrs, 2-3 hrs, 3-4 hrs, and 4+ hrs Majority (42%) of young adults listen to music for 1-2 hours a day 14% of the participants listen to their music 4+ hours a day, which is dangerous to their hearing Number of participants Figure 4. The number of participant responses to the statement, ”I would be willing to turn down my music to protect my hearing.” Responses were gathered on a five point scale from totally disagree to totally agree. Research Questions The purpose of this project was to investigate NIHL in young adults. 1) What is the impact of personal device use on the hearing of young adults? 2) Why are young adults avoided hearing protection, and how can hearing loss prevention be promoted in this population? Most young adults are willing to turn down their music to protect their hearing. They need to be properly educated on hearing loss prevention. Conclusion Number of participants Young adults need to be properly educated on NIHL. With PLDs being so popular, we are facing a new problem in which young adults may damage their hearing unknowingly. There are risks associated with PLD use, and many young adults are unaware of these risks. Further, the stigma about feeling “embarrassed” when wearing hearing protection needs to change. This can be done by educating young adults on the dangers of NIHL and also the warning signs. For example, if every time a student listens to their I-pod, they experience ringing in their ears, the student needs to take more listening breaks and turn down the volume of the music. NIHL is preventable, and it starts with protecting your hearing at a young age and limiting your exposure to loud noises. Number of participants Impact of Personal Device Usage Recommendations from Research Studies OSHA recommends that a person be exposed to no more than 85 dBA for eight hours (United States Department of Labor, 2016). PLD users should reduce listening time to only one hour a day at 60% volume level with over-the-ear headphones and less with insert headphones (SCENIHR, 2008). The Problem Young adults are listening to music at high listening levels for too many hours, as much as 6.93 hours a day (Hutchinson et al., 2015). Habitual PLD users report having tinnitus and trouble hearing others more often than non-users. PLD users have shown higher hearing thresholds than non-users . Some PLDs can have an output as loud as 125 dBA (Levey et al., 2012). Figure 1. Participants’ perceptions of the importance of hearing protection, reported as the number of participants answering yes or no to each item. Figure 2. Participants’ perceptions of hearing loss, noise exposure, and tinnitus, reported as the number of participants answering yes, no, or not sure to each item. Most participants recognize the importance of hearing protection, but do not use it. The majority of participants reportedly would use hearing projection. Most participants reported that they did not have a hearing loss or were not sure. Most participants reported symptoms of NIHL after listening to music and loud sounds. References Hearing Loss Prevention in Young Adults Hutchinson Marron, K., Marchiondo, K., Stephenson, S., Wagner, S., Cramer, I., Wharton, T., & ... Alessio, H. (2015). College students’ personal listening device usage and knowledge. International Journal Of Audiology, 54(6), 384-390. doi:10.3109/14992027.2014.986691 Levey, S., Fligor, B. J., Ginocchi, C., & Kagimbi, L. (2012). The effects of noise-induced hearing loss on children and young adults. Contemporary Issues In Communication Science & Disorders, 3976-83. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss | NIDCD. (2015, May 15). Retrieved September 07, 2016, from https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss SCENIHR (Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly- Identified Health Risks), Scientific opinion on the potential health risks of exposure to noise from personal music players and mobile phones including a music playing function, 23 September 2008. United States, Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). OSHA Noise Regulations. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/noisehearingconservation/standards.html More Education is Needed! Young adults are unaware of the dangers associated with PLD use. Spreading awareness through educational programs and campaigns may help reduce the increase in young adults with NIHL. Most young adults are only using hearing protection if they have experienced noise-induced hearing loss.