Pure tone hearing thresholds and leisure noise: Is there a relationship?

• Published in: Noise & health Vol. 17; no. 78; pp. 358 - 363
• Main Authors: Williams, Warwick, Carter, Lyndal, Seeto, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications 01.09.2015; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Acoustic Impedance Tests - methods; Adolescent; Adult; Audiometry, Pure-Tone - methods; Auditory Threshold - physiology; Australia - epidemiology; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Female; Health aspects; Hearing Disorders - diagnosis; Hearing Disorders - epidemiology; Hearing Disorders - etiology; Hearing Disorders - physiopathology; Hearing health; Humans; Leisure Activities; leisure noise; Life Change Events; Male; Medical History Taking - methods; Noise (Sound); Noise - adverse effects; noise exposure; Orginal; otoacoustic emissions (OAEs); Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous - physiology; Outdoor recreation; pure tone threshold shift; Self Report; Surveys and Questionnaires; Workplace; Australia; leisure noise; pure tone threshold shift; otoacoustic emissions (OAEs); noise exposure; Hearing health
• ISSN: 1463-1741; 1998-4030
• DOI: 10.4103/1463-1741.165066

This paper reports on the examination of the relationship between self-reported historical noise exposure during leisure activities and audiological indicators: Measured hearing threshold levels (HTLs) and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). The research was conducted by a cross-sectional survey of 1,432 individuals whose ages ranged from 11 years to 35 years. Methodology included a comprehensive audiometric assessment including otoscopy, pure tone audiometry (PTA) (air- and bone-conduction), OAEs, and tympanometry. A comprehensive questionnaire gathered information on demographics, hearing health status, and participation in work, nonwork, and leisure activities. Using the history of work, nonwork, and leisure noise exposure, a cumulative lifetime noise exposure was estimated. No correlation was found between cumulative lifetime noise exposure and audiometric PTA or OAE parameters.