Improving our understanding on non-occupational noise-induced hearing loss

Abstract

Noise is among the most common occupational and non-occupational exposures globally. As a result, the public health burden of noise-induced hearing loss is high. Some estimates suggest that roughly 20% of all hearing loss cases result from occupational noise exposure. Occupational noise exposures have been extensively studied and regulated in many countries for decades, and as a result the risk of occupational noise-induced hearing loss associated with different exposure levels and durations has been modeled and quantified. However, non-occupational exposures have not been nearly as well-characterized, and the risk of non-occupational noise-induced hearing loss is not well understood. This presentation will describe a systematic review conducted to evaluate the risk of noise-induced hearing loss associated with non-occupational noise. The presentation will also discuss knowledge gaps in our understanding of non-occupational noise exposures, and the need for tools to allow individuals to evaluate their own exposures against recommended non-occupational noise exposure limits, and ideally to share these “citizen-science” data for aggregated analysis. This approach is now being utilized in the Apple Hearing Study, a partnership between Apple, Inc., and the University of Michigan. Details will be provided on the research approaches and some preliminary results from the Apple Hearing Study.