Use of Personal Listening Device and Awareness Level of Auditory Health Risk among Information Technology Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Study

The widespread use of PLD devices among IT professionals has raised concerns about auditory health. However, information is scarce regarding the listening habits and awareness level of hearing health in this demographic. This study aims to assess the usage behaviours of personal listening devices, listening patterns, and the level of awareness of hearing health among Information Technology (IT) professionals across India. This is a cross-sectional survey with 406 IT professionals, each with a minimum of two years of work experience. In this survey, we have included a questionnaire that consists of a total of 25 questions addressing socio-demographic details, PLD usage, environmental context, and hearing health awareness. All the data of this survey were examined using JASP statistical software, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Among the professionals, 264 (65%) were females, and 338 (83.5%) were located in the southern part of India. PLD usage was common among the professionals; 48.7% used PLDs for less than three hours a day, while 28.8% reported using them for five or more hours daily. Moreover, around 25.4% listened at volumes rated 8 or higher on a 10-point scale, with males significantly more likely than females to choose higher volumes (p < 0.001). Significant age-related associations were observed for familiarity with safe loudness levels (Χ² (4) = 14.761, p = 0.005), awareness of noise levels (Χ² (4) = 14.433, p = 0.006), and familiarity with NIHL/MIHL (Χ² (2) = 12.609, p = 0.002). The findings observed there are high-risk listening behaviours and notable gaps in hearing health awareness. Our study findings spot the necessity of a targeted, age-appropriate work wellness program to start safer listening practices in this population.