Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia.
Public Health. 2013 Aug;127(8):710-5. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2013.01.007. Epub 2013 Mar 7.
To investigate listening habits and hearing risks associated with the use of personal listening devices among urban high school students in Malaysia.
Cross-sectional, descriptive study.
In total, 177 personal listening device users (13-16 years old) were interviewed to elicit their listening habits (e.g. listening duration, volume setting) and symptoms of hearing loss. Their listening levels were also determined by asking them to set their usual listening volume on an Apple iPod TM playing a pre-selected song. The iPod's sound output was measured with an artificial ear connected to a sound level meter. Subjects also underwent pure tone audiometry to ascertain their hearing thresholds at standard frequencies (0.5-8 kHz) and extended high frequencies (9-16 kHz).
The mean measured listening level and listening duration for all subjects were 72.2 dBA and 1.2 h/day, respectively. Their self-reported listening levels were highly correlated with the measured levels (P < 0.001). Subjects who listened at higher volumes also tend to listen for longer durations (P = 0.012). Male subjects listened at a significantly higher volume than female subjects (P = 0.008). When sound exposure levels were compared with the recommended occupational noise exposure limit, 4.5% of subjects were found to be listening at levels which require mandatory hearing protection in the occupational setting. Hearing loss (≥25 dB hearing level at one or more standard test frequencies) was detected in 7.3% of subjects. Subjects' sound exposure levels from the devices were positively correlated with their hearing thresholds at two of the extended high frequencies (11.2 and 14 kHz), which could indicate an early stage of noise-induced hearing loss.
Although the average high school student listened at safe levels, a small percentage of listeners were exposed to harmful sound levels. Preventive measures are needed to avoid permanent hearing damage in high-risk listeners.
调查马来西亚城市高中生使用个人听力设备的听力习惯和听力风险。
横断面描述性研究。
共对 177 名个人听力设备使用者（13-16 岁）进行访谈，以了解他们的听力习惯（例如，听力持续时间，音量设置）和听力损失症状。他们的听力水平也通过要求他们在播放预选歌曲的 Apple iPod TM 上设置通常的听力音量来确定。将人工耳朵连接到声级计上，测量 iPod 的声音输出。受试者还进行了纯音测听，以确定其在标准频率（0.5-8 kHz）和扩展高频（9-16 kHz）下的听力阈值。
所有受试者的平均测量听力水平和听力持续时间分别为 72.2 dBA 和 1.2 小时/天。他们的自我报告听力水平与测量水平高度相关（P <0.001）。在较高音量下听音乐的受试者也倾向于听更长的时间（P = 0.012）。男性受试者的听力音量明显高于女性受试者（P = 0.008）。当将声音暴露水平与推荐的职业噪声暴露限制进行比较时，发现 4.5%的受试者处于需要在职业环境中使用强制听力保护的听力水平。在 7.3%的受试者中发现听力损失（一个或多个标准测试频率的≥25 dB 听力水平）。受试者从设备中获得的声音暴露水平与两个扩展高频（11.2 和 14 kHz）的听力阈值呈正相关，这可能表明噪声性听力损失的早期阶段。
尽管平均高中生在安全水平下听音乐，但仍有一小部分听众处于有害的听力水平。需要采取预防措施，避免高危听众的永久性听力损害。
