Association of leisure-time noise exposure and hearing loss

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of noisy leisure activities with hearing loss. Participants (n=3571) were examined in a population-based study of age-related hearing loss conducted in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Hearing thresholds were determined by audiometry. Hearing loss was defined as the pure-tone average of the frequencies 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz greater than 25 dB HL in either ear. Information regarding exposure to leisure-time noise was obtained by interview. After adjusting for potential confounders, individuals who engaged in leisure activities with average sound levels greater than 90 dBA were significantly more likely to have a hearing loss than participants who did not engage in noisy leisure activities (OR=1.11, 95 per cent CI=1.01-1.22). Individuals who engaged in woodworking were 30 per cent more likely to have a hearing loss than those who had never done woodworking. There was a 6 per cent increased risk of hearing loss for each 5-year period of participation. Health care professionals should consider counseling their patients who engage in noisy leisure activities about the risk of noise-induced hearing loss.