Hearing and exposure to music in adolescents from four schools of Córdoba, Argentina

GAETÁN, SARA; MURATORE, JIMENA; MAGGI, ANA LUZ; PÉREZ VILLALOBO, JORGE ; HINALAF, MARÍA

American Journal of Audiology

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Año: 2021 vol. 30 p. 281 - 294

1059-0889

Purposes: The aims of this study are (a) to characterize the hearing of adolescents from four schools of Cordoba, Argentina, through the analysis of conventional and extended high-frequency audiometric thresholds and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and (b) to analyze the association between the mentioned hearing tests and exposure to music. Method: It was a cross-sectional correlational descriptive study. Hearing thresholds (250-16000 Hz), transient evoked OAEs, and distortion product OAEs were evaluated in 225 adolescents (450 ears) aged 14 and 15 years. The ears were split into two groups: Group 1 had thresholds 21 dB HL in at least one. Exposure to music was evaluated through a questionnaire. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in both ears between Groups 1 and 2. A notch at 3000-6000 Hz was noted in both groups. Group 2 showed a progressive threshold increase from 9000 Hz. Amplitude decrease, negative values, absent distortion product OAEs, and transient evoked OAEs were noted even in Group 1. A statistically significant association between Groups 1 and 2 and the presence/absence of OAEs was observed in most frequencies. Ears with moderate or high exposure to music had greater hearing thresholds compared to ears with low exposure at most frequencies; this was more evident in Group 1. Regarding exposure to music and OAEs, no significant differences were found between the exposure categories. Conclusions: The findings highlight the value of implementing hearing conservation programs in Argentina, analyzing hearing tests correlated with questionnaires about recreational noise exposure in order to detect vulnerable ears early.