فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

BACKGROUND: Over 1 billion young people globally are at risk of hearing loss and road trafficaccidents due to unsafe listening practices while using personal audio devices  (PADs). Rapidproliferation of mobile phones with built‑in music playback facility has rendered nearly universal PADaccess. The objective of this study was to ascertain the knowledge of risks and patterns of usage ofPADs among medical undergraduate students in Delhi, India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among medical students]aged ≥18  years. Data were collected using a pretested self‑administered questionnaire duringDecember 2016–May 2017. Chi‑square test was used to find an association between the categoricalvariables.RESULTS: A total of 255 male and 133 female students were enrolled (n = 388). Male studentsused PADs with greater frequency and perceived lesser susceptibility to adverse health effects onprolonged PAD usage compared to female students. However, volume preference for PAD usagedid not vary across gender. Self‑reported history of hearing loss and tinnitus which persisted for atleast 3 days in the previous 6 months was 10.6% and 6.4%, respectively. Nearly one in ten studentsagreed to the possibility of crossing the road while listening to music on their PADs.DISCUSSION: Unsafe music‑listening practices using PADs is potentially compromising thehealth and safety of young people in India. Strategic approaches supporting information educationcommunication activities for promoting awareness of hearing and health risks related to prolongedPAD use at loud volumes and enactment of policies restricting undesirable PAD usage threateningroad safety need consideration.