According to a pooled data review of the available literature published in the BMJ Global Health journal, over 1 billion teenagers and young adults may be in danger of hearing loss due to using earphones and earbuds and frequenting loud music clubs.
Use of personal listening devices attributed to the risk of hearing loss
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 430 million individuals worldwide suffer from incapacitating hearing problems. Due to their frequent attendance at loud music establishments, usage of personal listening devices (PLDs) including smartphones, earphones, and earbuds, and lax regulatory enforcement, youngsters are particularly vulnerable.
According to earlier research, PLD users frequently pick intensities as high as 105 dB, even for relatively brief periods. In contrast, the typical volume level at nightclubs varies from 104 to 112 dB.
In order to establish evidence-based guidelines to safeguard auditory health, the scientists sought to determine the frequency of dangerous listening behaviors among adolescents and young adults in order to get an overall figure for the number of people who may be in danger of hearing loss.
Up to 1.35 billion teenagers and young adults have hearing loss
Researchers estimated the number of people at risk of hearing risk by considering the projected world population of young people aged 12-34 years in 2022 and estimates of exposure to unsafe hearing rooms, loud music venues, or PLDs derived from a systematic review.
The pooled data review shows that there is a high incidence of risky listening behaviors from PLD usage and attending noisy entertainment venues among teenagers and young adults (24% and 48%, respectively).
The researchers predict that between 0.67 and 1.35 billion young people and adolescents worldwide may be in danger of hearing loss based on these numbers.
According to the researchers, their findings have several limitations, notably the need for standard methodology and the various study designs.
Additionally, certain potentially significant elements should have been taken into consideration in their estimates, including demographic information and recent modifications to the safe listening laws in various nations and regions.
