Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
11:21
Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
Personal Listening Devices in Australia: Patterns of Use and Levels of Risk
Megan Gilliver1,2, Jenny Nguyen3,4, Elizabeth F Beach1,2
1National Acoustic Laboratories, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.
Seminars in Hearing
|October 14, 2017
Summary
Personal listening devices (PLDs) pose a risk for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), especially for younger users. High-risk listening habits, particularly in noisy environments, are linked to self-reported hearing difficulties and speech perception issues.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Public Health
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Personal listening devices (PLDs) are widely used, raising concerns about potential noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).
- Understanding user profiles and listening habits is crucial for assessing NIHL risk.
- Previous research has not fully characterized the extent of risk associated with PLD usage patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the user profile of PLD users.
- To identify listening habits and patterns associated with PLD use.
- To examine the association between PLD risk status and self-reported hearing damage.
Main Methods:
- An online survey was administered to 4,185 Australian PLD users.
- Listeners were categorized into low, high, or very high-risk groups based on estimated daily noise dose (volume and duration).
- Listening patterns and self-reported hearing difficulties were analyzed in relation to risk status.
Main Results:
- Fifteen percent of PLD usage was classified as potentially harmful to hearing.
- Younger individuals (18-35 years) were disproportionately represented in higher-risk categories.
- Higher-risk PLD use was associated with increased self-reported hearing difficulties, including poorer speech perception in noise.
Conclusions:
- PLD usage, particularly high-volume or long-duration listening, contributes to hearing risk, especially among young adults.
- Hearing health promotion should address both listening volume and duration, tailored to specific usage contexts.
- PLD exposure must be considered within the broader context of an individual's cumulative noise exposure to prevent exceeding safe limits.
Related Concept Videos
02:30Naturalistic Observations
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
01:19Pharmacovigilance
Post-marketing surveillance is a critical component of pharmaceutical regulation, often uncovering unanticipated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) once a drug is widely used over an extended period.
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...