title: Total leisure noise exposure and its association with hearing loss among adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate total leisure noise exposure among adolescents and to assess its association with hearing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on self-reported time spent on 19 leisure activities and associated mean sound pressure levels reported in the literature, total leisure noise exposure was evaluated and compared to noise at work limits (> 85 dB(A) = hazardous) in a cross-sectional survey. Tympanometry and pure-tone audiometry was performed in sound isolated rooms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample consists of 2143 pupils attending grade nine in any school in a German city 2009-2011 (mean age: 15.4 years; range: 13-19 years). Audiometric data were available for 1837 (85.8%) pupils (53.9% girls).
  
  
  RESULTS
  41.9% of the 2143 adolescents who had provided self-reported data on leisure activities associated with noise exposure were estimated to be hazardously exposed to leisure time noise. The interaction of gender with total leisure time noise exposure was not significant. No association between leisure time noise exposure and audiometric notches could be detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While hearing loss seems seldom in this age group, a high proportion of adolescents aged 15-16 years are exposed to noise levels during leisure time bearing long-term risks of hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: a * Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dehnert
authors.affiliation: a * Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Munich , Germany.|b Centre of Prevention and Health Promotion, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Raab
authors.affiliation: c Department of Otorhinolaryngology , University Hospital Regensburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perez-Alvarez
authors.affiliation: c Department of Otorhinolaryngology , University Hospital Regensburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Steffens
authors.affiliation: a * Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Munich , Germany.|d Department of Social Epidemiology , Institute of Public Health and Nursing Research, University of Bremen , Germany.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bolte
authors.affiliation: e Department of Chemical Safety and Toxicology , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fromme
authors.affiliation: a * Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology , Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority , Munich , Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Twardella
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adolescent; hearing loss; leisure time; noise