title: Facing the music:  pre- and postconcert assessment of hearing in teenagers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Determine the effect of exposure to a single rock/pop concert on pure-tone hearing thresholds and outer hair cell function in teenagers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated measures pre- and postconcert assessment of hearing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mobile hearing conservation test vehicle and large indoor concert venue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine normal-hearing teenagers and young adults ages 13 to 20 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attendance at a public rock/pop concert.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre- and postconcert pure-tone thresholds in both ears from 500 Hz to 8 kHz, pure-tone average (PTA) for 2, 3, and 4 kHz, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), proportion of subjects experiencing a PTA change of 10 dB or greater.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Concert sound levels at the subjects' position averaged 98.5 dBA. Only 3 subjects used the hearing protection provided. Thresholds for 2 to 6 kHz increased significantly from pre- to postconcert (p ≤ 0.001). The increase in PTA (2, 3, and 4 kHz) between test intervals averaged 6.3 and 6.5 dB for the right and left ears, respectively, and 33.3% of subjects had a threshold shift of 10 dB or greater in the PTA in at least 1 ear (p ≤ 0.001). The number of subjects experiencing a reduction in DPOAE amplitude (17/25) and the change in mean amplitude were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001 and p ≤ 0.004, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exposure to a single live-music rock/pop concert can produce a threshold shift and decrease in otoacoustic emissions amplitude indicating impact on outer hair cell function. Results clearly indicate a need for research on this public health issue regarding "safe" listening levels, especially in younger people with more years for accrual of damage.
authors: House Clinic and House Research Institute, Los Angeles, California 90057, USA. jderebery@hei.org
authors: M Jennifer
authors: MJ
authors: Derebery
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Vermiglio
authors: Karen I
authors: KI
authors: Berliner
authors: Marilee
authors: M
authors: Potthoff
authors: Kirsten
authors: K
authors: Holguin
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult