Use of Personal Listening Devices and Knowledge/Attitude for Greater Hearing Conservation in College Students: Data Analysis and Regression Model Based on 1009 Respondents.

Sunghwa You,Woojae Han,Chanbeom Kwak

doi:10.3390/ijerph17082934

Sunghwa You, Woojae Han + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082934

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Abstract

Given the concern regarding increased hearing loss in young people who use personal listening devices (PLDs), the present study analyzes the experience of PLDs among college students to identify their knowledge of and attitude toward hearing conservation. It also explains their relationship between knowledge of hearing loss and attitude-related hearing conservation as a questionnaire response using a regression model. A total of 1009 Korean college students responded to an online questionnaire. As a survey tool, the Personal Listening Device and Hearing Questionnaire was adapted as a Korean version with 78 modified items under 9 categories. Using principal component analysis, specific factors were extracted, and their relationships and paths were confirmed using multiple regression analysis. The results of the knowledge category of the questionnaire indicate that most respondents knew how to maintain healthy hearing and understood the signs of hearing loss. Regardless, many college students habitually use PLDs at high levels in noisy environments; they do not recognize how to prevent hearing loss. Even though they continue their current use pattern for PLDs, they also had a positive attitude toward receiving more information about hearing conservation. According to the regression model, the students’ self-reported hearing deficits were due to the volume rather than the frequent use. Interestingly, knowledge about hearing loss may encourage students to develop a positive attitude toward reasonable restriction of PLD use. When PLD users have detailed knowledge about the hearing loss provided by professionals, we believe that most will avoid serious hearing problems and its risks and maintain a judicious attitude toward their own conservation.

Highlights

Contemporary researchers have offered evidence of hearing loss from exposure to loud recreational noise by focusing on groups of choristers [1], symphony orchestra musicians [2], attendees at rock concerts and discotheques [3], and users of personal listening devices (PLDs) [4]
An online survey was employed to analyze the experience of using a PLD for 1009 Korean college student respondents to determine the level of their knowledge and their attitude toward hearing conservation
Our respondents seemed generous about rating their own hearing condition. This result is similar to the result of the Personal Listening Device and Hearing Questionnaire (PLDHQ), with only 12% of respondents having experienced hearing difficulty [9]

Summary

Introduction

Contemporary researchers have offered evidence of hearing loss from exposure to loud recreational noise by focusing on groups of choristers [1], symphony orchestra musicians [2], attendees at rock concerts and discotheques [3], and users of personal listening devices (PLDs) [4]. The relationship between the use of PLDs and hearing damage has been a serious concern, especially for younger people [5]. Ahmed et al (2007) reported that as many as 82% of students currently have PLDs [6] and Portnuff et al (2009) showed that young people, compared to older people, more frequently listen to music at a higher volume while not realizing that this intensity could potentially be hazardous [7]. Why are young people addicted to PLDs? Public Health 2020, 17, 2934; doi:10.3390/ijerph17082934 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

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