Association between lifetime noise exposure and audiometric thresholds using the noise exposure structured interview.

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Environmental Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Noise exposure is a primary cause of hearing loss.
• Understanding the cumulative impact of noise across a lifetime is crucial for managing hearing health.
• Age-related hearing decline (presbycusis) is exacerbated by environmental factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between cumulative lifetime noise exposure and age-related changes in hearing.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Noise Exposure Structured Interview (NESI) in quantifying noise burden.
• To determine how noise exposure interacts with age to affect audiometric thresholds and speech reception.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-four adults (23-82 years) completed the NESI, assessing occupational, recreational, and firearm noise exposure.
• Participants underwent pure-tone audiometry and speech-reception testing.
• Multivariate regression analyses examined the independent and interactive effects of age and NESI scores on auditory outcomes.

Main Results:

• Age was a significant predictor of elevated hearing thresholds across all frequencies (p < 0.001).
• Higher NESI scores correlated with poorer low-frequency hearing (p ≤ 0.02) and worse speech reception thresholds (p = 0.007).
• Noise exposure showed significant contributions at specific frequencies in both better and worse ears.

Conclusions:

• Cumulative noise exposure may accelerate age-related hearing decline.
• The NESI is a practical tool for assessing lifetime noise exposure and its contribution to presbycusis.
• Identifying and mitigating noise exposure can help preserve hearing function throughout life.