By Dr Robert Cowan
Music is an integral part of human life. It’s all around us, just like sunshine, lifting our mood. We enjoy it so much that many of us take it with us everywhere on our phones, or we spend weekends hitting the club scene, live-music venues or concerts.
Meanwhile, many of us may have felt annoyed by loud sound from music venues, or remarked on sound emanating from someone else’s headphones. We’re probably aware we should prevent hearing loss from loud industrial noise at work or from using power tools at home.
A systematic review released today (Wednesday 16 November 2022) in BMJ Global Health reports unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults from using personal listening devices (such as phones or digital music players) and going to loud clubs and gigs are common, and could be a major factor contributing to hearing loss. In fact, the authors estimate the pumping tunes could be placing up to 1.35 billion young people at risk of hearing loss worldwide.
What the study looked at Systematic analysis involves looking across multiple studies to identify consistent findings. In this study, the authors included 33 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2021, involving over 19,000 people, aged 12-34.
In the study, unsafe listening was identified as listening at levels above 80 decibels for over 40 hours per week. For context, this is the level above which most Australian states require industry to implement noise protection processes such as use of hearing protectors.benefits was significantly associated with lower mortality rates.
This finding aligns with existing studies that social spending buffers households against economic hardship,” they point out. – CARIBBEAN CUBA -hearing and take the necessary steps to protect ourselves. We need to be aware of how loud sound is around us and how to keep our exposure within safe levels.
We can do this by using personal hearing protection in clubs (such as ear muffs or ear plugs that are fit for purpose), or limiting how often we visit noisy music venues or how long we stay at really loud ones. In Australia, people can access a free noise risk calculator to calculate their personal risk using an online sound level meter, and to explore how changes in lifestyle could protect their hearing while still allowing them to enjoy music.
Most phones now come with software that can monitor safe listening levels and limit exposure. Hearing protection at the venue level is more challenging and may require regulatory and industry-based approaches. Our 2020 research identified hazard controls for entertainment venues, such alternating volume between louder and softer levels, rotating staff, providing quiet rooms, and raising speaker locations above head height.
We also showed DJs and venues were open to initiatives aimed at reducing the risk of hearing loss for their patrons and staff. Compromises are possible and they could enable enjoyment of music at live-music venues, while still protecting hearing.
That way everyone will be able keep enjoying music for longer. About the author: Dr Robert Cowan, PhD, is a Professorial Research Fellow, Audiology and Speech Pathology, at The University of Melbourne, and Adjunct Professor at Macquarie University.
He graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours degree in Physiology, and also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) (TechMgt) degree, Graduate Diplomas in Audiology, Technology Management and Health Economics, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from The University of Melbourne). He is a Graduate of The Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of The American Academy of Audiology and of Audiology Australia, and holds a current Certificate of Clinical Practice.
Dr Cowan joined Professor Graeme Clark’s – CLASSIFIED ADS 15 – team in 1985, and with him established The HEARing Cooperative Research Centre in 1992, which now brings together 23 members, representing Australia’s leading research, educational, and clinical hearing health services, and international companies Cochlear and Sivantos to develop new solutions to reduce hearing loss and improve communication benefits for the millions of hearing impaired adults and children in Australia and world-wide. Professor Cowan is now CEO of HEARing and HEARworks, its commercial arm.
Under his leadership HEARing CRC received Excellence in Innovation Awards in 2002, 2003, 2012 and 2013, as well as a STAR Award in 2012. He was a finalist in the Eureka Prizes in both 2012 and 2013. He was selected as Australian Professional of the Year 2004 by Professions Australia, and his contributions to audiology have been recognized through Audiology Australia’s President’s Distinguished Service Award (2003) and the Denis Byrne Memorial Lecture (2006).Professor Cowan has extensive experience in management and commercialisation of hearing technology and clinical research, and is committed to the world-wide prevention of hearing loss and improved audiological clinical practice.
His research includes cochlear implant and hearing technology, audiology and biomedical research management. He has authored over 150 publications and book chapters, and holds a number of Australian and international technology patents and trademarks.
He is a current Board Member of The International Society of Audiology and Audiology Australia. Professor Cowan joined The Conversation on 29 June 2016. Disclosure statement: Professor Robert Cowan has received funding from the Commonwealth Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program, The National Health and Medical Research Foundation, and the NSW Office of Medical Science and Research.
He was CEO and Principal Investigator of a number of studies addressing prevention of hearing loss in young people, in particular in relation to attendance at live music venues, and has co-authored publications in this area. Partners: The University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU, and does so in conjunction with over 40 other Universities and Strategic and Technology Partners, such as several state governments, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and The Australia Cancer Research Foundation.
