title: Pure tone hearing thresholds and leisure noise: Is there a relationship?
abstract: This paper reports on the examination of the relationship between self-reported historical noise exposure during leisure activities and audiological indicators: Measured hearing threshold levels (HTLs) and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). The research was conducted by a cross-sectional survey of 1,432 individuals whose ages ranged from 11 years to 35 years. Methodology included a comprehensive audiometric assessment including otoscopy, pure tone audiometry (PTA) (air- and bone-conduction), OAEs, and tympanometry. A comprehensive questionnaire gathered information on demographics, hearing health status, and participation in work, non-work, and leisure activities. Using the history of work, non-work, and leisure noise exposure, a cumulative lifetime noise exposure was estimated. No correlation was found between cumulative lifetime noise exposure and audiometric PTA or OAE parameters.
authors.affiliation: National Acoustic Laboratories, Sydney, and The Hearing Cooperative Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Warwick
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Lyndal
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seeto
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace