A Qualitative Study of Earplug Use as a Health Behavior: The Role of Noise Injury Symptoms, Self-efficacy and an Affinity for Music

Abstract

The use of earplugs in loud music venues is confined to a small minority who wish to avoid hearing damage from excessive noise exposure. Using the framework of the health belief model (HBM), structured interviews were held with 20 earplug-wearing clubbers. Qualitative analysis revealed the HBM constructs relevant to understanding this group's motivation to protect their hearing. Personal experience of noise injury symptoms was the most common cue triggering earplug use. Awareness of the benefits of earplugs and appreciation of the long-term implications of hearing damage, affinity for music and high self-efficacy were also key variables underlying this health behaviour.

Association of Behavior With Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Attendees of an Outdoor Music Festival

“…In the earplug group, loudness and appreciation of music and speech perception while using earplugs were associated with the duration of earplug use. In previous studies, 32,39 loud music, awareness of loud music, and the appreciation of music were associated with use of earplugs. These findings may advocate the use of personalized earplugs.…”

“…In addition, personal noise injury in the past was associated with earplug use. 32,39 In this study, eligible participants who intended to use earplugs were excluded. Therefore, we cannot draw conclusions on the effect of a previous noise injury on the intention to use earplugs from our study data.…”

Hearing Loss Prevention Education Using Adopt-a-Band: Changes in Self-Reported Earplug Use in Two High School Marching Bands

“…More important, the demo files include not just foam earplugs, but also well-fitting and poorly fitting musician's earplugs. Consistent with the notion that these efforts may be helpful, some of the factors that have influenced earplug use in traditionally hard-to-reach populations (such as clubgoers) include personal experience with hearing loss, increased awareness of the benefits of earplugs, and appreciation of the long-term implications of hearing damage, particularly with respect to music appreciation (Beach et al, 2012;Gilles et al, 2012).…”

“…There have been more complete investigations into attitudes toward noise and hearing in other adolescent and young adult populations (see, e.g., Beach, Williams, & Gilliver, 2012;Chen, Huang, & Wei, 2009;Dell & Holmes, 2012;Folmer, Griest, & Martin, 2002;Marlenga et al, 2011;Martin, Griest, Sobel, & Howarth, 2013;Neufeld, Westerberg, Nabi, Bryce, & Bureau, 2011;Portnuff, Fligor, & Arehart, 2011;Widén, 2013). Many of these recent studies with adolescents and young adults have drawn on the health belief model, which identifies factors such as perceived severity and susceptibility, perceived benefits, barriers, cues to action, and perceived self-efficacy as important determinants of health-related behaviors (following Becker, 1974).…”

“…Three specific health behavior constructs relevant to behavior change include the attitude an individual has about a given behavior, the importance assigned to the behavior by significant others, and the perceived control over the behavior of the individual (Griest et al, 2007;Martin et al, 2013). With respect to high-level sound and hearing loss, personal experience of noise injury symptoms, appreciation of long-term implications of hearing damage, affinity for music, awareness of the benefits of earplugs, and high self-efficacy appear to be key variables (Beach et al, 2012). Interactive, age-appropriate programs, which include a variety of activities, have a greater chance of success with respect to both learning and behavioral change, and the basis for the activities should include education on how hearing loss may affect individuals' lives and what activities are potentially dangerous to hearing (Folmer et al, 2002;Henderson, Testa, & Hartnick, 2011;Taljaard, Leishman, & Eikelboom, 2013).…”