In a report released by WHO, 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss. This is due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices, including smartphones and exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars and sporting events.
Some of the data analysed by WHO indicates that among teenagers and young adults aged 12-35yrs, 50% are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from their personal devices. Around 40% are exposed to potentially damaging levels of sound at entertainment venues. The report goes further to explain that unsafe levels of sounds can be, exposure to in excess of 85 decibles for 8 hours, or 100 decibles for 15 minutes.
Exposure to loud sounds can result in temporary hearing loss or tinnitus. When the exposure is loud, regular or prolonged, it can lead to permanent damages of the ear’s sensory cells, resulting in irreversible hearing loss.
WHO recommends that the highest permissible level of noise exposure in the workplace is 85 dB up to a maximum of eight hours in a day. Teenagers and young people can better protect their hearing by keeping the volume down on personal audio devices, wearing earplugs when visiting noisy venues, and using carefully fitted, and, if possible, noise-cancelling earphones/headphones.
