Teen Girls Increasingly Becoming Hearing-Impaired, Researchers Say
With an increasing exposure to loud noises, it is reported that adolescent girls are more exposed to long-term hearing problems.
“In the ’80s and early ’90s, young men experienced this kind of hearing damage in greater numbers, probably as a reflection of what young men and young women have traditionally done for work and fun,” lead researcher Elisabeth Henderson noted. While boys were exposed to hearing problems due to occupational noise during those periods, Ms. Henderson said that young women are now experiencing the same ear damage today.
After comparing the decibel levels for the periods 1988 to 1994 and 2005 to 2006, the researchers found out that the likelihood of hearing loss was generally the same for the 4,310 girls, aged 12 to 19, who participated in the study. The exception, however, were teen girls.
After taking into account the two periods, the researchers discovered that the hearing loss among adolescent girls rose from 11.6 percent to 16.7 percent. They attributed the hearing problem to the girls’ exposure to loud music as well as the use of headphones.
But the researchers stressed that headphone use is not the predominant cause of hearing loss. Rather, it is the lack of hearing protection when these girls are exposed to loud recreational noise, which is often found in clubs and at concerts.
Ms. Henderson advised these teen girls to wear hearing protection, “When she's on stage, Lady Gaga definitely has some kind of ear block in her ear to protect herself, so why shouldn't her fans?”
