Leisure Noise Exposure and Associated Health-Risk Behavior in Adolescents: An Explanatory Study among Two Different Educational Programs in Flanders

Sofie Degeest, Hannah Keppler and Bart Vinck
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Sofie Degeest: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Hannah Keppler: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Bart Vinck: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-13

Abstract: Adolescents frequently engage in noisy leisure activities which can result in hearing-related problems. However, the effect of leisure noise exposure is liable to an individual’s risk-taking behavior. Identifying leisure noise activities and relevant factors related to risk-taking behavior in adolescents, are important to optimize hearing conservation programs targeting youngsters. The purpose of the study was to explore the presence of hearing-related symptoms, as well as noise exposure during various activities, and the use of hearing protector devices (HPDs) in adolescents in two educational programs in Flanders. In addition, their attitudes and beliefs towards noise, hearing loss, and HPDs were investigated. The final sample consisted of 247 adolescents. The most important hearing-related symptoms after noise exposure were tinnitus and noise sensitivity. With regard to leisure noise exposure, listening to PMPs was most frequently reported. The use of HPDs during most noisy activities was limited, in accordance with the presence of hearing-related symptoms, considering noise as unproblematic, and having worse scores on subscales of the beliefs about hearing protection and hearing loss scale. In the future, hearing conservation programs should target adolescents specifically for a more health-orientated behavior towards noise exposure, hearing loss, and HPDs.

Keywords: leisure noise; attitude; hearing protection; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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