Estimating Earphone Level and Dose Using Real-Ear Measures and Ecological Momentary Assessment

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Public Health
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Estimating sound exposure dose from earphone use traditionally relies on self-report questionnaires or device tracking, methods with inherent limitations.
• Accurate measurement of personal sound exposure is crucial for understanding noise-induced hearing loss risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore sound exposure dose from earphone use in college-aged adults.
• To evaluate the efficacy of real-ear measures and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for estimating sound exposure.
• To compare current earphone usage patterns with previous research findings.

Main Methods:

• Real-ear measurements were used to determine sound levels at the eardrum for 53 college students using their own devices and earphones.
• Participants engaged in a 1-week ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol, reporting earphone use every 2 hours.
• Sound exposure doses were calculated by integrating measured sound levels with EMA-reported usage time.

Main Results:

• EMA compliance was 73%, consistent with audiology research standards.
• Measured average listening levels were 60 dBA, lower than reported in most prior studies.
• The majority of participants exhibited sound exposure doses below 1% of recommended limits.

Conclusions:

• Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) provides a feasible and less restrictive method for measuring earphone sound exposure compared to traditional approaches.
• Findings suggest that college-aged adults may have lower sound exposure levels and doses from earphone use than previously estimated.
• This research highlights the potential for improved accuracy in assessing personal sound exposure through combined real-ear measures and EMA.