BACKGROUND: currently the exposure to noisy leisure activities are part of the routine of youngsters, representing a considerable risk for hearing. AIM: to study the hearing and the auditory habits of youngsters. METHOD: 75 individuals, with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years, were evaluated using pure tone audiometry and a questionnaire for the verification of their auditory habits. RESULTS: the audiometric results indicate that 45.3% of the individuals presented some sort of hearing impairment, in the 3 to 6 kHz frequency range. As for the auditory habits, most of the youngsters have the habit of exposing herself/himself to high sound pressure levels, especially collective music. CONCLUSION: It is essential for the health professionals to be enrolled in prevention and hearing conservation programs in order to change attitudes and to establish noise control measures for leisure activities.
BACKGROUND: currently the exposure to noisy leisure activities are part of the routine of youngsters, representing a considerable risk for hearing. AIM: to study the hearing and the auditory habits of youngsters. METHOD: 75 individuals, with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years, were evaluated using pure tone audiometry and a questionnaire for the verification of their auditory habits. RESULTS: the audiometric results indicate that 45.3% of the individuals presented some sort of hearing impairment, in the 3 to 6 kHz frequency range. As for the auditory habits, most of the youngsters have the habit of exposing herself/himself to high sound pressure levels, especially collective music. CONCLUSION: It is essential for the health professionals to be enrolled in prevention and hearing conservation programs in order to change attitudes and to establish noise control measures for leisure activities.
Authors: Valéria Gomes da Silva; André Luiz Lopes Sampaio; Carlos Augusto Costa Pires de Oliveira; Pedro Luiz Tauil; Glaucia Magalhães Brito Jansen Journal: Braz J Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2012 Jul-Aug