Knowledge and Practices Related to the Use of Audio Devices, and Their Ear Health Impact Among Teenagers in the UAE


Authors : Prajakta I. Dongritot; Afrah Mazumder; Arwa A. Mohammed; Fariha N. Khazi; Dr. Shatha Al Sharbatti

Volume/Issue : Volume 8 - 2023, Issue 2 - February

Google Scholar : https://bit.ly/3IIfn9N

Scribd : https://bit.ly/3Y6cSWm

DOI : https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7677183

The study aimed to assess the levels of knowledge among teenagers in the UAE about the safe use of personal audio devices (PAD), the factors related to knowledge, and their impact on ear health, to determine the utilization patterns and the perceived impact on ear health by audio devices, among teenagers in the UAE. A cross-sectional study conducted among 292 students. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to teenage students from high schools in the UAE, of both sexes from grades 9 to 12. The Chi‐square test was used to find an association between the categorical variables. Logistic regression was used to determine the determinants of knowledge, impact, and practice. Scoring was assigned to items that reflect knowledge, practice and impact, median score was taken as cut off to determine adequate level of knowledge, unsafe practice, and impact. Findings included a total of 161 male and 131 female students were enrolled (n = 292). 73.3% of students use personal audio devices. 49.5.% of students had adequate knowledge, female students had higher levels of knowledge than males. 50.3% (93) of the participants used the audio devices in an unsafe manner, the majority being males. The younger age groups, female gender, parents’ education who did more than high school had adequate levels of knowledge. The most common impact experienced by using PAD was insomnia (41.1%), decreased hearing (21.6%) and numbness of the ear is the least common effect of using PAD (11.6%). The present study revealed that 49.5.% of students had adequate knowledge, female students had higher levels of knowledge than males. 92 (49.7%) of the participants undertook safe practice of using audio devices, whereas 93 (50.3%) had remarkably unsafe practices. The factors associated with adequate levels of knowledge were among younger age groups, female gender, parents’ education who did more than high school. The most common impact experienced by using PAD was insomnia (41.1%) numbness of the ear (11.6%) was the least common effect of using PAD.

Keywords : PADs, Earphones, Headphones, Teenagers, Students, Knowledge, Unsafe Practice, Impact, Hearing

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