Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the awareness of noise-induced hearing loss in young adults in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 280 young adults from Jeddah. A 27-item questionnaire was distributed to assess the participants’ demographic information, use and risk factors of audio devices, symptoms of hearing problems, knowledge regarding deafness, and practices for handling hearing loss. Results: Approximately 44% of respondents resided in noisy environments. On a daily basis, 62% often set their device’s volume to be high, and 36% spend approximately 6–8 h in a noisy environment. Nearly 30% of the participants self-reported hearing difficulty and 21% self-reported tinnitus. There was a substantial gender difference in the willingness to understand hearing tests, with 22% of females and 11% of males. 41% of the respondents were unaware of the deficit locations. While 98% acknowledged that noise impacts hearing sensitivity, nearly half (47%) agreed or strongly agreed that they would still prefer to listen at high levels, even if it could affect their hearing. Conclusion: Noise exposure significantly affects generation Z’s hearing health. There is a clear need for enhanced public education on safe listening practices, regular hearing screenings, and early intervention strategies.
Alnoury et al. (Thu,) studied this question.