36th Annual Student Research Conference
Concert Band and Hearing Health
Tatum R. Graham
Dr. Ilene Elmlinger, Faculty Mentor
The purpose of this project was to determine if participation in collegiate-level band causes hearing loss or related symptoms. Information was collected through a Google Form about hearing-health knowledge and attitudes of students in university-level concert band programs at Truman. Sound pressure level measurements were taken during rehearsal to assess risk of noise exposure. Four participants reported a diagnosed hearing loss. About 75% of participants reported difficulty understanding speech in background noise, 50% reported experiencing tinnitus after rehearsal, and around 35% reported temporary threshold shifts. Three locations within the band exceeded 90 dB during rehearsal, and the average of all locations was 89.3 dB. With 78% of participants reporting rehearsing between three to more than nine hours a week at these decibel levels, hearing loss prevention should be prioritized to prevent loss and related symptoms.
Keywords: hearing loss, music, band
Topic(s):Communication Disorders
Music
Disability Studies
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: 204-1
Location: SUB Georgian Room C
Time: 10:15