| ARTICLES |
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| Year : 2004 | Volume
: 7
| Issue : 25 | Page : 59--70 |
The influence of socio-economic status on adolescent attitude to social noise and hearing protection
SE Olsen Widen1, SI Erlandsson2
1 University of Trollhättan/Uddevalla; Department of psychology, Göteborg University, Sweden
2 University of Trollhättan/Uddevalla, Sweden
Correspondence Address:
S E Olsen Widen
University of Trollhättan-Uddevalla, Box 1236, S-462 28 Vänersborg
Sweden
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
PMID: 15703150 
The focus of the present study, of 1285 adolescents, was young people's attitudes towards noise and their use of hearing protection at discos and pop concerts. Comparisons were made between adolescents from different age groups, and with different socio-economic status. Logistic regressions indicated that "worry before attending noisy activities" and "hearing symptoms" such as tinnitus and noise sensitivity could, to some degree, explain the use of hearing protection in noisy environments. Another conclusion to be drawn from this study was that adolescents' attitudes and behaviors regarding hearing protection use differed between levels of socio-economic status. Individuals with high SES expressed more negative attitudes and used ear protection to a greater extent than those with lower SES. This result might indicate differences in the development of future auditory problems among individuals with different levels of socio-economic status. The cause of hearing impairment and tinnitus may not be restricted merely to noise exposure. Psychological aspects, such as attitudes towards noisy environments and the individual's behavior regarding the use of hearing protection may be considered as important factors in the understanding of why the prevalence of hearing related problems has increased among adolescents.
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