Survey of High School Students' Perceptions about Their iPod Use, Knowledge of Hearing Health, and Need for Education

Purpose: High school students' knowledge about hearing health and their perceptions of how they use personal listening devices (PLDs) including iPods were surveyed to determine the need, content, and preferred format for educational outreach to them. Method: This study was a descriptive convenience survey of students at a California high school. An 83-item questionnaire was administered in December 2009 to assess students' demographics, knowledge of hearing health, perceived iPod use, and risk activities. Results: The response rate was 56%. Most of the students perceived that they used iPods safely. However, responses indicated that many of the respondents could be at risk of injury to themselves or others if they became unaware of their surroundings while listening to iPods. Some students were knowledgeable about hearing health and safe iPod use, but most needed information about hearing loss and hearing conservation. Conclusion: Most of the students needed education (e.g., via health classes or the Internet) about hearing health, the warning signs of hearing loss, and how to prevent hearing loss. Resources for educational audiologists are provided.