Noise Exposure Patterns Among Freshman Students
This study was conducted to investigate levels of noise exposure and perceptions of risks associated with this exposure among new freshman students at a four year comprehensive college in Western New York State. Eighty four freshman students, 55 percent women, enrolled in academic planning seminars provided self-report information via a questionnaire about their music listening habits and other exposure to loud music or other sounds. The students were asked how many hours per day they listened to their portable music players or other source of music and how frequently they attended loud concerts and/or clubs. They were also asked if they had ever temporarily lost their hearing or experienced tinnitus after exposure to loud noise. In addition, the students indicated whether or not they believed that exposure to loud noise would permanently affect their hearing or impair their health in any way. Among the participants, 19% reported a temporary hearing loss after concerts or other exposure to loud noise while 9% experienced tinnitus. The majority, 52 percent, indicated they listened to portable players more than one hour per day, while 27 percent listened over three hours per day. Males were generally more likely to listen to music more than an hour per day and were more likely to report a temporary loss of hearing and tinnitus. More female than male students indicated they believed that exposure to loud noise would cause a permanent hearing loss (55 percent versus 27 percent). Overall, even though the majority of female students and a quarter of males believe exposure to loud noise will permanently affect their hearing, this perception is at odds with their listening behavior.