RP306 - Risk-Taking Propensity as a Risk Factor for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in the General Population

Abstract:
Hazardous noise exposure (HNE) is known to increase one’s risk for hearing loss. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers HNE as a major avoidable cause of hearing loss worldwide. Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is preventable through improved awareness. General risk-taking propensity data was collected from 1274 adults from the United States through an online survey. Results revealed higher general risk propensity was associated with an increased likelihood to engage in noise-risk behaviors, with the frequency of self-reported HNE resulting in estimated annual noise doses exceeding standard hazard limits in 40% of the surveyed population.

Summary:
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world and has been linked to a number of adverse health effects including heart disease, sleep disorder, depression, and cognitive decline. However, NIHL may be completely preventable through improved awareness.

General risk-taking propensity (GRP) has been shown to be a reliable predictor of risky health behavior. However, studies of risk propensity in the context of noise exposure and hearing health are lacking. This study aimed to explore relationships between GRP, knowledge and perception of hearing loss, knowledge and perceptions of noise exposure, estimated annual noise dose, and self-reported risky noise-health behaviors in the general population.

An anonymous web-based survey was distributed to the general population using Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) online crowdsourcing platform. 1274 adult U.S. respondents completed a 40-item web-based survey including questions about GRP, probability of risk, knowledge and perceptions of hearing loss and hazardous noise, and self-reported behaviors relating to noise and hearing health. For each respondent, the exposures each person accumulates over a year were calculated using the self-reported frequency of encountering hazardous noise activities/environments. Using these data, the noise dose was calculated for each respondent and compared to the NIOSH recommended exposure limit of 85-dBA. Of the 1274 respondents, 62.3% were men, 67.2% identified as white and 27.9% as African American, with 35% identifying as Hispanic/Latino. The age of respondents ranged from 18-75 years (mean=38.2 years).

Results revealed significant differences in GRP by race [F(2,1266)=65.02, p< 0.001], age [F(4,1268)=8.91, p< .001], and gender [t (1272)=6.48, p< 0.001]. GRP was found to be significantly associated with risky behavior, with men exhibiting higher risk-taking tendencies than women and reporting more frequent engagement in risky noise-health behaviors [p < 0.001]. Increased knowledge of noise-risk was associated with lower GRP [F(4,1263)=126.46, p< 0.001, B=-.10]. Additionally, the number of self-reported risky exposures was associated with increased knowledge [F(1,1272)=5.86, p< 0.05, B=-.09], indicating that respondents with a higher knowledge of noise-risk engaged in less risky encounters. Annual noise dose for each respondent was calculated based on self-reported noisy encounters and compared to the occupational health standard. Data indicated that 45% of respondents exceeded this safety standard through self-induced noise over-exposures, placing them at an increased risk of NIHL. GRP was associated with annual noise dose [F(1,1272)=95.72, p< 0.001, B=155.92], with those with higher self-reported hazardous exposures having a higher GRP. Findings further revealed poor awareness of the risks associated with HNE and its role in causing hearing loss.

Conclusions:
Results of this study suggest a high rate of self-exposure to hazardous noise by the general population. Significant associations were found between GRP and noise-risk knowledge, perceptions, and behavior. Those who identify as more risk-averse are more likely to perceive noise as risky. Those with higher GRP are more likely to engage in risky noise behavior. Risky noise behavior is associated with age, gender, race, ethnicity, and GRP. Intervention programs to modify risky noise behavior in the general population should focus on both increasing knowledge and establishing accurate perceptions of risk.