The National Institute of Health (Inserm) estimates that the number of cases of deafness continues to increase with age: from 6% of the population between 15 and 24 years to more than 65% after 65 years. Exposure to noise is a primary cause of hearing loss. In order to better understand the role that environmental factors play in these disorders, British researchers from the Medical Research Council launched a large online study intended for Internet users of all ages.
The questionnaire looks at participants’ habits regarding the way they listen to music and their current hearing level. “If spending a lifetime listening to music too loudly leads to hearing loss, scientists expect to see a correlation between participants’ listening habits and their current hearing abilities,” says the BBC News site. Scientists no longer have any doubts about this link, but the study should allow them to determine after what duration and intensity the exposure begins to affect hearing.
The lead author of this project, Dr Michael Akeroyd, adds that “many studies of music-related hearing loss have looked at musicians who are exposed to very loud music almost every day. But we know less about the cumulative effects of this type of listening on the hearing of the general public. The main goal of this project is to determine if there is a link or not. “
