Abstract
Objective
This study aimed to identify the attitudes to noise in young adults and the possible effects of gender, age, and a positive history of auditory symptoms related to recreational noise exposure on the attitudes to noise in this population.
Design
The Youth Attitude to Noise (YANS) and the hearing symptom description (HSD) scales were adapted into Spanish to be used with young adults. The validity was determined using factor analyses and Item Response Theory (IRT) models. Linear regression models were used to determine whether the YANS scores were associated with gender, age, and auditory symptoms.
Study sample
Both instruments were given to a sample of 728 Chilean young adults. Data obtained from this sample was used to determine the YANS and HSD scales' validity and to assess the effects of gender, age, and auditory symptoms on attitudes.
Results
Our results showed that the YANS and HSD scales had adequate validity and reliability. Differences in the items' capacity to discriminate attitudes to noise were noted using the IRT model. Auditory symptoms were significantly associated with the YANS scores.
Conclusions
The attitudes to noise in Chilean young adults are influenced by self-perception of auditory symptoms, age, and gender.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Gabriel Lagos R. (Departamento Ciencias de Rehabilitación en Salud, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile), and Darío Reyes O. (Carrera de Fonoaudiología de la Universidad Bernardo ÓHiggins, Santiago, Chile) for their helpful comments on earlier drafts.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).