Knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes about hearing loss and hearing protection among racial/ethnically diverse young adults.

ABSTRACT

Over 11 million individuals exhibit some degree of permanent noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). Despite such data, there remains a paucity of empirical evidence on the knowledge of noise exposure and hearing protection devices (HPDs) for young adults, particularly those of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. This lack of research is unfortunate, as prior research suggests that the incidence of NIHL can be reduced through educational programs, such as hearing conservation programs (HCPs). Moreover, research also indicates that such educational programs are more beneficial when developed for specific age and/or ethnic/racial groups. The primary aim of this investigation was to determine the knowledge base of 200 college-aged young adults aged 18-29, concerning the auditory mechanism, NIHL, and the use of HPDs. The second aim of this study was to identify race and ethnicity differences or similarities in knowledge of these areas among African-American and caucasian young adults. Overall, in many instances, a majority of the young adults in our study demonstrated a high degree of knowledge concerning factors associated with exposure to excessive noise and the risk of hearing loss. Yet, the results also revealed significant racial/ethnic differences in knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes about the use of HPDs. Recent estimates suggest that more than 11 million individuals in the United States exhibit some degree of NIHL. Moreover, 40 million individuals work in environments that contain potentially harmful noise levels, and over 50 million Americans routinely use firearms--a common cause of noise-induced hearing impairment. A specific hallmark manifestation of NIHL is a permanent decrease in hearing sensitivity from 3,000-6,000 Hz, with a characteristic notch at 4,000 Hz. Additional effects of exposure to high noise levels include physiological changes in heart rate and blood pressure, decrease in work productivity, and an interference with communication that results from the masking of speech. With these considerations in mind, the purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of a young-adult population in the United States concerning the factors that contribute to NIHL and the use of hearing protection. Additionally, this study was interested in whether there were racial/ethnic differences or similarities in knowledge of hearing loss and the use of HPDs among African-American and caucasian young adults.