Bottom Line: People who attended an outdoor music festival who did not use earplugs, used alcohol and/or drugs and were male were more likely to experience temporary hearing loss.
Why The Research Is Interesting: During the past two decades, the frequency of hearing loss among young people has increased and going to music concerts, clubs and festivals may part of the reason. Noise-induced hearing loss because of recreational noise exposure may be reduced by using earplugs.
Who and When: 51 adults who attended an outdoor music festival in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in September 2015
What (Study Measures): Music festival visit for 4.5 hours (intervention); temporary hearing loss (outcome)
How (Study Design): A secondary analysis of data from a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Veronique J. C. Kraaijenga, M.D., University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands, and coauthors
Study Limitations: The inability to detect hidden hearing loss in study participants.
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For more details and to read the full study, please visit the For The Media website.
(doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2018.0272)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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