Daily sound exposure of hearing aids users during COVID-19 pandemic in Europe.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the daily sound exposure of hearing aid (HA) users during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on the impact of different governance intervention levels.

Methods

Modern HA technology was employed to measure and compare the sound exposure of HA users in three distinct periods: pre-pandemic, and two 14-day periods during the pandemic, corresponding to varying levels of governance interventions. The study sample comprised a total of 386 HA users in Europe during the pandemic, with daily sound exposure data collected as part of the main dataset.

Results

The results revealed that, during the pandemic, the equivalent continuous sound pressure level (SPL) experienced by HA users decreased, while the signal-to-noise ratio (

SUBMITTER: Sun K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10613490 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature