title: Typical noise exposure in daily life.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identify the distribution of typical noise levels present in daily life and identify factors associated with average sound levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 286) were 20 to 68 year old men and women, drawn from the general population of Kalamazoo County, Michigan. A total of 73 000 person-hours of noise monitoring were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median overall daily average levels were 79 and 77 dBLeq(A,8,equiv), with average levels exceeding EPA recommended levels for 70% of participants. Median levels were similar between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and varied little across days of the week. Gender, occupational classification, and history of occupational noise exposure were related to average noise levels, but age, educational attainment, and non-occupational noise exposures were not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large portion of the general population is exposed to noise levels that could result in long-term adverse effects on hearing. Gender and occupation were most strongly related to exposure, though most participants in this study had occupations that are not conventionally considered noisy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5355, USA. greg.flamme@wmich.edu
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Flamme
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.forename: Kristy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Deiters
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tatro
authors.forename: Devon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Gessel
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Geda
authors.forename: Krista
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wyllys
authors.forename: Kara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McGregor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult