Evaluating Listening Behaviours of Nightclub Goers: An International Web-Based Study with Resident Advisor.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nightclubs expose nearly 40% of young adults in high- and middle-income countries to damaging levels of noise with attendant risk of noise-damage hearing symptoms and sequelae of mood disorders, social isolation and dementia. This study evaluated clubbers hearing symptoms, visiting behaviours and safe listening habits. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A web-based, population-specific data collection tool was shown to visitors of the dance music website Resident Advisor over a 7-hour period. It identified how often and for how long clubbers attend loud music venues (as this will influence their safe-noise dose) alongside their attitudes, use of safer listening practices and whether their visit frequency changed with the presence of hearing symptoms. For analysis, we used descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, Fisher exact test and logistic regression analysis.