Health Risks of Using Headphones with Mobile Electronic Devices for Young People

Abstract

Introduction: Urban population is exposed to a combined effect of physical risk factors. A large number of young people in­ crease their noise exposure by listening to audio files using headphones. Objective: To study health effects of using headphones in schoolchildren and students. Materials and methods: In 2019–2020, a questionnaire-based survey of 800 secondary school children and students (345 boys and 455 girls aged 13–20 years) was conducted in the cities of Moscow, Voronezh, and Izhevsk. The inclusion criteria were young age (a pupil/student), a signed informed consent, and no experience (for controls) or a year or more of experience in using headphones with portable electronic devices (for cases). The questionnaire data were analyzed using the statistical analysis software Statistica 10.0 to estimate contingency coefficients and relative risks and to build regression models. Results: We established that listening to audio files at full volume, using headphones in public transport, and having no headphones-free day a week posed significant health risks for young people: the relative risk of hearing impairment attributed to an every-day use of headphones at maximum volume was 3.20 (95 % confidence interval, 2.40–5.21). Conclusions: We established risk factors affecting wellbeing and hearing loss in young people. Since these factors manageable, they should be considered in health education of schoolchildren and students.