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Verification of Attenuation for Premolded Hearing Protection Devices Designed for Music
Tess A Zaccardi, Cory Df Portnuff, Colleen G Le Prell1
1Callier Center for Communication Disorders, 1966 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235, USA. Tel 972-883-3018. colleen.leprell@utdallas.edu.
Medical Problems of Performing Artists
|May 31, 2022
Summary
High-fidelity earplugs (HiFi HPDs) offer inconsistent sound protection, varying significantly between users and brands. Verifying individual attenuation is crucial, especially for musicians, to prevent hearing damage.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Occupational Health
- Acoustics
Background:
- High-fidelity premolded earplugs (HiFi HPDs) aim for uniform sound attenuation.
- Musicians and recreational event attendees are potential users of HiFi HPDs.
- Music-induced hearing disorders pose a risk to these populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To verify the individual attenuation levels provided by HiFi HPDs.
- To assess the frequency uniformity of attenuation across different HiFi HPD brands.
- To determine the importance of personalized attenuation verification for hearing protection.
Main Methods:
- Real-ear attenuation at threshold (REAT) measurements were employed.
- Sixteen adult participants were tested.
- Commercial HiFi HPDs marketed for music events and musicians were used.
Main Results:
- Significant individual variations in attenuation were observed within and between HiFi HPD brands.
- Substantial differences in the uniformity of attenuation were found.
- Achieved attenuation levels varied significantly among participants.
Conclusions:
- Individual attenuation verification is essential for HiFi HPDs.
- Musicians using uniform-fit HiFi HPDs still require personalized protection assessment.
- The findings highlight the need to address variability in hearing protection effectiveness.
