PP703 - Assessment of Hearing Habits and Knowledge in Music Students Exposed to Loud Environments

Abstract:
Work and study environments in music are known to generate high sound levels. When combined with poor practice habits, these conditions significantly increase the risk of hearing problems among musicians. This study aims to assess music students' knowledge on hearing health, as well as their behavior and habits regarding sound exposure, through a questionnaire, in order to explore the risks linked to sound overexposure for musicians. The results highlight the urgent need for prevention programs tailored to music students to promote a culture of prevention, enhance their knowledge, and ultimately improve their hearing health, musical practice, and long-term quality of life.

Summary
Rationale:
This study aims to evaluate music students' knowledge of hearing health issues, as well as their behaviors, lifestyle, habits, and overall well-being in relation to sound exposure within their musical profession and studies. The long-term goal is to develop a protocol that promotes hearing health and well-being tailored to the specific needs of this population.

Methods:
A Hearing Health and Habits of Music Students questionnaire was developed by the music faculty and the audiology department of the university and was administered to participants to assess their knowledge on hearing health, their habits and well-being regarding sound exposure in their musical practice, and preventive actions used, such as wearing hearing protection. Analysis was conducted with IBM/SPSS software version 29 using the significance threshold of 5%. The association between the questions of knowledge, lifestyle, strategy, and risk perception was analyzed using chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Student's t-tests. Finally, the association between hearing health measures, such as tinnitus and hypersensitivity, and questions of knowledge, lifestyle, strategy, and risk perception were analyzed using t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficients.

Results:
Sixty-five students from the music faculty of a major North American university, aged between 18 and 67 years old (mean age ± SD = 26 ± 9), participated in this study. They were mainly undergraduates (70%) and largely came from the digital music program (34%) and the classical music performance program (34%).

Preliminary results show that the use of hearing protection (r = -0.274; p = 0.027), seeing peers wearing hearing protection (r = -0.367; p = 0.003), and the tinnitus measurement are negatively correlated to the knowledge score (r = -0.292; p = 0.018), contrary to the auditory fatigue and hypersensitivity measurements. Lifestyle habit scores (attendance at concerts, bars, festivals, nightclubs) are positively correlated with hearing fatigue or hypersensitivity (p < 0.001), and risk perception is positively correlated with protection strategies (p < 0.001).

Interpretation and

Conclusion:
The results show that music students with a greater knowledge of the impact of noise overexposure on their hearing tend to experience less tinnitus. However, even with strong knowledge of hearing health and noise exposure, students may still experience hearing symptoms, such as hearing fatigue or hypersensitivity. Students with habits involving high levels of noise exposure (e.g., attending concerts, bars, festivals, and nightclubs) were more likely to experience hearing problems. Finally, the greater the students' awareness of the risks of noise overexposure, the more likely they were to protect themselves, for example, by using hearing protection.

These results reinforce the need to implement awareness-raising initiatives with music students in order to foster a culture of prevention within this population. The study also confirms the risks associated with noise overexposure in both music practice and daily life, highlighting the urgent need for preventive measures for this group.