Graduation Year

2017

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies

Faculty Advisor

Cinzia Pica-Smith

Keywords

Noise induced deafness, Attitudes, College students

Abstract

Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is an irreversible condition in which the cells of the inner ear are destroyed by strong sound signals and are no longer capable of relaying said signals to the brain for comprehension. Previous studies found that college students are most at risk for NIHL. Several organizations have created Hearing Conservation Programs; however, their efforts to change students’ behaviors have proven unsuccessful as noted by several research studies. These studies explain that Hearing Conservation Programs and initiatives have not worked because college students do not believe they are susceptible to NIHL. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge that the average college student has regarding Noise Induced Hearing Loss in order to design a custom Hearing Conservation Program that can be created to meet college students’ needs. To assess college students’ knowledge of NIHL, an online quiz was administered to current college students via social media. Fifteen quantitative questions were asked. Data suggest that average college students know very little about the prevalence of Noise Induced Hearing Loss and its implications.

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