In a recent study published in the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, an interdisciplinary team of researchers looked at the effects of noise exposure on students wearing MP3 players.
The results of the study suggest that if college students listening behaviors (time spent listening and loudness of the sound) continue over a multiple year period, a large number of them will have measurable noise induced hearing loss (NIHL).
“This is the largest study of its kind to date, and the first to demonstrate a cohort who seem prone to listening at high levels for long periods of time”, stated researcher Dr. Fligor. “Previous studies have suggested a small but significant percentage exceed recommended exposure levels (RELs); over half of the 189 participants in this study exceeded that REL.”
This study comes in the wake of another study published by The American Medical Association showing that 1 in 5 teens show signs of hearing loss. With increasing access to loud noises and multi-media it’s important to educate ourselves and our children on the importance of hearing health. If you’re looking for more information visit the hearing health section of our website.
Read more about the study on audiology online.