Hearing Health at School: analysis of knowledge, behaviors and attitudes of Southern-Brazilian children and adolescents on noise.
Lys Maria Allestein Gondim, Débora Lüders, Milena Kovalski Oliveira and 2 others
PMID 39109705WHAT IT FOUND
Most schoolchildren used headphones, and many reported tinnitus after loud noise.
Many did not know how to protect hearing. Only 10.3% used hearing protection near loud sounds.
Key findings
0191% reported using stereo headphones, and 96.9% reported never taking part in a school hearing campaign.
0247.6% reported earache or tinnitus when exposed to loud noise, and 72.2% reported tinnitus.
0362.6% admitted no knowledge about noise-related hearing loss, and only 10.3% used hearing protection near loud noise.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study measured habits and symptoms at one time, so it cannot show that noise exposure caused the reported hearing problems. The Portuguese questionnaire was translated and adapted but not validated, so responses may not measure the intended concepts accurately. The sample was limited to sixth graders in municipal public schools in one Brazilian city, so it may not represent other ages, schools, or regions. 15% of the sample was lost, including students who did not sign consent or were not present for all steps. Answers were self-reported, and students may not have accurately reported hearing-protection use, symptoms, or knowledge.
Declared interests
The paper states that there is nothing to declare for financial support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the high headphone use and tinnitus complaints as proof that noise caused hearing loss in these students. The study measured self-reported habits and symptoms at one time, so it cannot show cause.