The Effect of Hands-Free Usage on Hearing: A Study Among Female University Students
| Author | Ramazan Mirzaei | en |
| Author | Sadegh Jafarzadeh | en |
| Author | Ehsan Rafeemanesh | en |
| Author | Monavvar Afzal aghaee | en |
| Author | Malihe Ghorbani | en |
| Author | Masuomeh Chezgi | en |
| Author | Ebrahim Taban | en |
| Orcid | Monavvar Afzal aghaee [0000-0003-2029-6577] | en |
| Issued Date | 2025-05-31 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Sound is one of the primary tools of communication, but exposure to high sound intensities can lead to both physical and psychological health problems. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the level of exposure to sound through the use of hands-free devices and the hearing status of female university students. Methods: In this study, 78 students were selected through purposive sampling from the residents of dormitories at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Thirty-nine students were considered as the control group (students who do not use hands-free devices or use them for less than one hour per day), and 39 individuals were considered as cases (those who use hands-free devices for more than an hour per day). To determine the hearing status of the study subjects, the distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) test was conducted at frequencies between 988 and 8000 Hz, both quantitatively [signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)] and qualitatively (presence or absence of a response to the signal). The DPOAE test was conducted using an otoread device (Intracoustic). The stimulus intensities being evaluated were L1 = 65 dBSPL and L2 = 55 dBSPL, with a frequency ratio of F2/F1 set at 1.2. Mean, standard deviation (SD), and Student's t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: Based on the results of this study, students used hands-free devices to listen to music, audio files, and for phone calls. The independent samples t-test showed that the mean SNR at the measured frequencies was significantly higher in the control group compared to the exposed group (P = 0.001). Additionally, the mean percentage of response frequency across all measured frequencies in both the right and left ears was higher in students who used hands-free devices less frequently, although the t-test did not show a significant difference between the means (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Given the widespread use of hands-free devices among students and the potential for hearing loss associated with hands-free use, it is necessary to provide education and create conditions that reduce headphone use. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/healthscope-156564 | en |
| Keyword | Signal-to-Noise Ratio | en |
| Keyword | Sound | en |
| Keyword | Music | en |
| Keyword | Hearing Loss | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | The Effect of Hands-Free Usage on Hearing: A Study Among Female University Students | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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