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Mass transit ridership and self-reported hearing health in an urban population
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Mass transit ridership and self-reported hearing health in an urban population

Robyn R M Gershon, Martin F Sherman, Lori A Magda, Halley E Riley, Tara P McAlexander and Richard Neitzel
Journal of urban health, v 90(2), pp 262-275
01 Apr 2013
PMID: 22711170
url
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-012-9734-2View
Published, Version of Record (VoR)Open Access (License Unspecified) Open

Abstract

Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Female Hearing Loss - epidemiology Hearing Loss - etiology Hearing Loss - prevention & control Humans Logistic Models Male Middle Aged New York City - epidemiology Noise, Transportation - adverse effects Noise, Transportation - prevention & control Regression Analysis Self Report Tinnitus - epidemiology Tinnitus - etiology Tinnitus - prevention & control Transportation Urban Population Young Adult
Information on prevalence and risk factors associated with self-reported hearing health among mass transit riders is extremely limited, even though evidence suggests mass transit may be a source of excessive exposure to noise. Data on mass transit ridership were collected from 756 study participants using a self-administered questionnaire. Hearing health was measured using two symptom items (tinnitus and temporary audiometric threshold shift), two subjective measures (self-rated hearing and hearing ability), and two medical-related questions (hearing testing and physician-diagnosed hearing loss). In logistic regression analyses that controlled for possible confounders, including demographic variables, occupational noise exposure, nonoccupational noise exposure (including MP3 player use) and use of hearing protection, frequent and lengthy mass transit (all forms) ridership (1,100 min or more per week vs. 350 min or less per week) was the strongest predictor of temporary threshold shift symptoms. Noise abatement strategies, such as engineering controls, and the promotion of hearing protection use should be encouraged to reduce the risk of adverse impacts on the hearing health of mass transit users.

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4 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
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