Knowledge, habits, preferences, and protective behavior in relation to loud sound exposures among Brazilian children

Identification of the beliefs and attitudes towards noise exposure and the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in Brazilian children.

Prospective cross-sectional study through interviews with children and their parents.

753 children were selected and invited to participate. The final sample was 475 children and 404 parents.

In general, children disliked noisy places (67%). Although 87.4% of the children and 93.9% of the parents considered loud sounds damaging to the ears, children were poorly informed about hearing protection and did not have hearing protection devices. Children were mostly exposed to parties and concerts with loud music (51.9%), carnaval (Mardi Gras) parties (38.2%), firecrackers (36.8%), and loud music at home or in the car (33.1%), or from listening to loud music with earphones (17.3%). Compared to children from private schools, children from public schools had a greater preference for loud sounds and were less informed about hearing protection.

Knowledge of hearing risk from loud sounds was not enough to prompt preventive behaviors, and adults exposed children to loud sounds.