RESUMEN
We gave 944 young people (aged 16 to 20 years) pure-tone audiometry, electroacoustic impedance tests, and ear, nose and throat examination. We questioned them about their histories of exposure to occupational and recreational noise. The data do not support the view that there is wide-spread hearing loss caused by exposure to amplified music in young people under the age of 21 years. However, the accumulated exposure of some of them to noise is such that, if their recreational patterns remain the same, they are at risk of some noise-induced hearing loss by their mid-twenties. Further empirical studies are necessary to determine whether these hearing losses will eventuate.
Asunto(s)
Pérdida Auditiva Provocada por Ruido/etiología , Música , Pruebas de Impedancia Acústica , Adulto , Amplificadores Electrónicos , Audiometría de Tonos Puros , Australia , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Femenino , Pérdida Auditiva Provocada por Ruido/diagnóstico , Humanos , Masculino , RecreaciónRESUMEN
The hearing of 118 otologically normal soldiers 40 years of age or less with at least 8 years service was tested. Their eye colours were also recorded. Each soldier was questioned concerning his medical history, history of noise exposure and smoking habits. Left ear average hearing levels at 3 kHz were poorer in soldiers with eye colours indicating no melanin pigmentation of the iris than those with iris pigmentation (p < 0.05). Effects of smoking were statistically significant at one frequency but difficult to interpret in terms of current theories.