What is the influence of background noise and exercise on the listening levels of iPod users?

Abstract

Abstract

The widespread use of portable listening devices (PLDs) has increased concern about the potential for hearing impairment caused by their use. The current study investigated the effects of external noise and exercise on the use of PLDs. The 24 participants listened to the same song on an iPod during rest-in-quiet, rest-in-noise, and exercise-in-noise conditions. Preferred listening levels (PLLs) were recorded and participants’ maximum noise doses were calculated. Participants selected significantly higher listening levels in both noise conditions than in the quiet condition. The variability of volume selection was reduced significantly in the noise conditions. The maximum daily noise dose would have been exceeded by seven participants in the rest-in-noise condition and by eight in the exercise-in-noise condition compared to one participant in the rest-in-quiet condition. These results indicated that increased background noise causes individuals to increase the volume on their PLDs to potentially dangerous levels and that increased noise alone was not the only factor affecting the participants as the addition of exercise induced even further increases in PLLs.

Sumario

El amplio uso de instrumentos portátiles de escucha (PLDs) ha incrementado la preocupación sobre el potencial que tiene su uso como causa de discapacidad auditiva. En este estudio se investigaron los efectos del ruido externo y del ejercicio sobre el uso de iPods. Los 24 participantes escucharon en un iPod la misma canción, en condiciones de descanso-en-silencio, descanso-con-ruido y ejercicio-en condiciones ruidosas. Se registraron los niveles de escucha preferidos (PLLs) y se calcularon las dosis máximas de ruido en los participantes. Estos seleccionaron niveles de escucha significativamente mayores en las dos condiciones con ruido pero no en la de silencio. La dosis diaria máxima de sonido se excedió en siete participantes, en la condición de descanso-en-silencio y por ocho en la de ejercicio-con ruido, comparada con 1 en la condición de descanso- en-silencio. Estos resultados indican que el aumento del ruido de fondo hace que los individuos incrementen el volumen de sus iPods hasta niveles potencialmente peligrosos y que el incremento de ruido en forma aislada no es el único factor que afecta a los participantes, como lo es la adición de ejercicio que incluso induce incrementos adicionales en los PLLs.

Key Words:

• Behavioral measures
• hearing conservation
• noise
• instrumentation

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Paul Hagler, PhD for his valuable contributions to the design and critique of this study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.