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Recreational firearm use and hearing loss
D M Nondahl1, K J Cruickshanks, T L Wiley
1University of Wisconsin, Department of Ophthalmology, Madison, USA. nondahl@epi.ophth.wisc.edu
Archives of Family Medicine
|April 25, 2000
Summary
Recreational firearm use, such as target shooting and hunting, is linked to high-frequency hearing loss in older men. Many firearm users do not wear hearing protection, increasing their risk of hearing impairment.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Occupational Health
- Gerontology
Background:
- Hearing loss is a common issue in older adults.
- Recreational firearm use is a potential, yet understudied, risk factor for hearing damage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between recreational firearm use and high-frequency hearing loss.
- To examine the impact of target shooting and hunting on hearing thresholds in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional, population-based cohort study of 3753 participants aged 48-92 years.
- Assessed lifetime and past year firearm use via interview.
- Measured hearing thresholds using pure-tone audiometry.
Main Results:
- Men who regularly engaged in target shooting showed increased odds of marked high-frequency hearing loss.
- Increased years of hunting were associated with a higher risk of hearing loss.
- A significant percentage of firearm users reported not wearing hearing protection.
Conclusions:
- Recreational firearm use is associated with high-frequency hearing loss in men.
- There is a need to educate firearm users about hearing protection and risks.
- Promoting hearing protection use is crucial for preventing firearm-related hearing impairment.