Annual noise exposure among Malaysian young adults

Prolonged exposure to both occupational and recreational noise can lead to noise-induced hearing loss. This study aimed to determine annual noise exposure (ANE) levels among Malaysian young adults using the Noise Exposure Questionnaire and to examine differences in ANE by gender, race, and medical background.

A culturally modified Noise Exposure Questionnaire was validated and distributed to 205 healthy young adults (mean age = 22.9, SD = 3.0). ANE values were computed based on participants' reported frequency and duration of exposure, combined with predetermined mid-intensity levels for each activity. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 20 randomly selected participants after a 3-month interval.

The median ANE was 71.4 dBA (95% confidence interval [CI] = 70.5, 72.1). A total of 16.5% (n = 34) of participants exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-recommended limit of 79.0 dBA. Subgroup analyses using bootstrap CIs suggested a possible difference in ANE between males (73.8 dBA, 95% CI = 71.7, 76.1) and females (70.5 dBA, 95% CI = 69.2, 71.3), with the wider interval in males reflecting the smaller male sample (n = 49). ANE estimates were comparable between racial groups (Chinese: 70.8 dBA, 95% CI = 69.7, 71.7; Malay: 71.9 dBA, 95% CI = 66.9, 77.5), though the considerably wider CI in the Malay subgroup (n = 25) limits the interpretability of this comparison. ANE was similarly comparable between participants with (70.9 dBA, 95% CI = 69.7, 71.9) and without (71.5 dBA, 95% CI = 69.0, 73.3) a medical background. Approximately 85% of participants reported never using hearing protection during motorized vehicle use, amplified events, and musical instrument playing. Test-retest reliability showed a moderate intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC3 = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.22, 0.82), though the wide CI warrants cautious interpretation.

Recreational and daily lifestyle habits among young adults may contribute to elevated noise exposure, increasing the risk of noise-induced hearing loss. These findings underscore the importance of promoting hearing health awareness and safe listening practices among youth to mitigate preventable hearing loss.