Rates of Hearing Loss are Not Rising Among Young People

In recent years, the World Health Organization (WHO) had issued warnings for young people around the globe: an estimated 1.1 billion young people (children and teens) were believed to be at risk for permanent hearing loss.

Recently, a new study finds that hearing loss rates are holding steady among young people in the US. While previous reports had suggested that hearing loss was a growing problem, this comes as good news to young people and their parents across the country. At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that noise-induced hearing loss develops over the long-term and therefore, hearing loss knowledge and prevention still remains crucial.

Study: Prevalence of Hearing Loss in US Children and Adolescents (1988-2010)

From the University of California – San Francisco, Drs. Brooke Su and Dylan Chan analyzed data from a US federal health database that included audiometric measurements for 7,036 young people (ages 12 to 19).  In this analysis, Drs. Su and Chan found “no overall change in the prevalence of hearing loss, and no consistent associations were identified between hearing loss and noise exposures.” They also found that “racial/ethnic minorities and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds were at an increased risk for hearing loss” and recommended “long-term monitoring of this population…to further understand relationships between hearing loss, noise exposures, and minority and low-income groups.”

With the objective to characterize changes in prevalence of hearing loss and noise exposures among US children and teens, Drs. Su and Chan reviewed a number of surveys, exploring possible exposures such as a history of ear infections, noise exposure, and hearing protection use. In their results, they find that while the prevalence for hearing loss increased in the period of 2007 to 2008, it decreased in the period of 2009 to 2010. They also note that there was no significant overall trend to the prevalence of hearing loss in younger populations.

At the same time, they do note that there was “an overall rise in exposure to loud noise or music through headphones 24 hours prior to audiometric testing. However, noise exposure, either prolonged or recent, was not consistently associated with an increased risk of hearing loss across all surveys.”

In other words, while there does not seem to be a clear trend of rising rates of hearing loss among young people, Drs. Su and Chan did find that young people are, in fact, exposed more frequently to loud noise due to headphone usage.

Preventing Hearing Loss

Even with this good news for young people, it is important to stay vigilant in protecting one’s hearing. Noise-induced hearing loss is caused by the accumulation of exposure to dangerous levels of sound over a number of years.

As personal electronic devices become more and more reliable in terms of battery life and portable in terms of design and construction, we do see many teenagers plugged in. Additionally, with a longer battery life we are able to spend longer periods of time watching movies or videos or listening to music. The combination of time and volume could, eventually, lead to permanent hearing loss if we are not careful.

The main rule to keep in mind is the 60/60 rule, as prescribed by hearing specialists: listen to music or other media at 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time. Take frequent breaks.

When attending festivals, concerts, or sporting events, be sure to bring earplugs. For aspiring musicians, protect your most important asset to your craft! Invest in a pair of custom molded ear protection for musicians, which are designed to filter out the dangerous levels of noise while still allowing you to hear the intricacies of the music that you are playing.

No matter how old you are, it’s never too early for a hearing test. Schedule a hearing test with us today at Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services. Obtaining a baseline for your hearing abilities is an important part of hearing health. As you grow older, annual hearing tests will help you keep track of your hearing abilities.

To learn more or to schedule a hearing test, contact us at Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services today.