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BACKGROUND: Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a prevalent and preventable health issue globally. This study aims to evaluate the symptoms, knowledge, beliefs, and preventive practices regarding NIHL among the general population of the southern region of Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS & METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to July 2024, using a self-administered, validated electronic questionnaire distributed in Arabic via social media platforms. The questionnaire assessed socio-demographic data, NIHL awareness, attitudes toward prevention, and personal practices regarding noise exposure. The sample included 400 participants analyzed using SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), with associations measured through the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS: Most participants were Saudi nationals (97%) and females (81.3%). Symptoms of NIHL, such as tinnitus and the need to increase TV or radio volume, were prevalent among participants. Most participants (88.5%) were aware that high sound levels affect hearing, yet only 9.5% correctly identified the minimum duration of exposure that could harm hearing. Social media was the primary source of information (51.3%). Positive preventive practices were noted, with 66% lowering device volumes and 55.3% recommending sound restrictions on tablets. Significant associations were found between better preventive practices and higher income as well as marital status. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the high basic awareness of NIHL but identifies critical knowledge gaps regarding the minimum sound level and duration that affect hearing negatively. Enhanced public health education and technological interventions are needed to improve prevention practices. Future research should include longitudinal studies and diverse populations to better understand and address NIHL.
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OBJECTIVE: Children with sensorineural hearing loss can benefit from cochlear implantation (CI). Patients can obtain direct access to medical information on the internet. However, the internet is uncontrolled, and the quality and readability of information are unpredictable. The quality and readability of websites providing information about CI in children were assessed in this study. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Online search. METHODS: The 3 most popular search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo) were queried with the phrases "cochlear implant" and "cochlear implant in children." The DISCERN instrument was used to assess the information quality. The readability was evaluated using 5 validated readability indices. RESULTS: Of 103 websites, the median DISCERN quality score was 33 (interquartile range [IQR], 27-41). Only 5 websites were considered to be of good quality, and 1 was excellent. The median readability school grade was 11th (IQR, 10-12), which fell within the range defined as difficult. No website was at or below the recommended sixth-grade level. There was no correlation between readability and the DISCERN scores (r = -0.105, p = .291). CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that most websites with information on CI for children are of variable quality and are written beyond the reading ability of the general population. Website builders should focus on improving the readability of their online material to help the average reader understand and benefit from the content.