Prevalence of Noise-Induced Hearing-Threshold Shifts and Hearing Loss Among US Youths

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We investigated trends in noise-induced threshold shifts (NITSs), high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL), and low-frequency hearing loss (LFHL). METHODS: A total of 4310 adolescents 12 to 19 years of age completed audiometric testing during National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 1988–1994 and 2005–2006. NITS criteria were audiometric patterns of decreased 3- to 6-kHz thresholds but preserved 0.5- to 1-kHz and 8-kHz thresholds; HFHL and LFHL criteria were high and low pure-tone averages, respectively, of >15 dB HL. RESULTS: There were no significant increases in NITSs (odds ratio [OR]: 0.81 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.53–1.22]; P = .29), HFHL (OR: 1.21 [95% CI: 0.87–1.69]; P = .25), or LFHL (OR: 1.37 [95% CI: 0.77–2.45]; P = .28) between survey periods. However, a significant increase in the prevalence of NITSs occurred among female youths (11.6% [95% CI: 9.0%–14.1%] vs 16.7% [95% CI: 13.2%–20.3%]; P < .0001). The overall prevalence of exposure to loud noise or listening to music through headphones in the previous 24 hours increased from 19.8% (95% CI: 17.6%–22.1%) to 34.8% (95% CI: 31.0%–38.5%; P < .0001). In 2005–2006, female youths had a similar prevalence of exposure to recreational noise (23.6% [95% CI: 19.6%–27.6%] vs 27.7% [95% CI: 23.6%–31.8%]; P < .0001) and a lower prevalence of hearing-protection use (3.4% [95% CI: 1.6%–5.3%] vs 10.3% [95% CI: 7.3%–13.2%]; P < .0001) compared with male youths. CONCLUSIONS: Increased exposure to recreational noise and minimal use of hearing protection might have lead to an increase in NITS prevalence among female youths.