Early Indication of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Young Adult Users of Personal Listening Devices

Objectives: The recent integration of portable music players into cell phones has further increased the use of personal listening devices (PLD) among young adults, raising concerns about potentially hazardous effects on hearing. Methods: Assessment of young adults' hearing ability and listening preferences by subjective and objective measurement. Young adult users of PLDs (n = 50; 30 females, 20 males; mean age = 24.1 +/- 4.2 years; average PLD use = 6.1 +/- 2.1 years) were included. Subjective assessment of listening preferences was performed via a questionnaire as well as objective assessment of preferred volume levels in different background noise environments and hearing tests. Results: Preferred volume levels were significantly correlated with hearing thresholds. Most participants exhibited safe listening behavior according to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health criteria. We identified a substantial high-risk subgroup of PLD users (22% of participants, daily use >= 2 h at >= 91 dB) in which pure tone audiometry showed increased hearing thresholds at 4000 and 6000 Hz, potentially indicating an early manifestation of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Conclusions: These findings suggest that preventive measures may be warranted to prevent a future increase of clinically relevant NIHL among heavy users of PLDs.