Supervisors info:
Μπίμπας Αθανάσιος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπων
Παπαθανασίου Ηλίας, Καθηγητής, Τμήμα Λογοθεραπείας, Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών, Επισκέπτης Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Γεωργάκη Αναστασία, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Μουσικών Σπουδών, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The present study, entitled 'What Musicians Know About Hearing and its Protection', focuses on music, which in addition to the enjoyment it creates can have detrimental effects on hearing due to the high intensity conditions in which the musical compositions are performed. Consequently, the art of music, which has been the subject of study for more than three thousand years, poses risks for professionals in the field, especially as far as their auditory function is concerned. [1]
Music is perceived through hearing. The human auditory system, like the one of other mammals, converts mechanical energy from the movement of air molecules to nerve signals that modulate the properties we hear in sounds, which oscillate at frequencies from 20Hz to 20000Hz. Therefore, a composer produces a work consisting of sounds that oscillate at frequencies within this spectrum. [2]
Music has been associated with positive emotions, and is one of the most rewarding human experiences, connecting functional areas of the brain that evolve the person mentally and cognitively. [3]
In contrast to the aesthetic pleasure and emotional excitement it generates, music is also the cornerstone of a huge industry. The latter presents, as mentioned above, something unique in that beyond the entertainment it offers to millions of people it potentially causes harmful effects on auditory function. [4]
The acoustic disorders found in the music arena are due to both exogenous and endogenous factors. Indicatively, the risk factors are the years of exposure to high-intensity sounds, that is to say over 85 dB (A) according to NIOSH, the hours per week and the duration of this exposure, the acoustics of the spaces in which the compositions are performed, the proximity to audio sources and speakers, the choice of repertoire, the frequency and type of sounds as well as the repetition of music tracks. [5,6] The endogenous factors, on the other hand, appear less well understood. [5]
Concerts, rehearsals and solo practice significantly involve exposure to loud sounds and can lead to noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) [7] and more specifically music-induced hearing loss (MIHL), defined as the progressive hearing loss following years of exposure to high-intensity music that evolves at a rate proportional to the conditions of exposure. [8,9] The induced acoustic over-stimulation is likely to cause other audiological symptoms such as: tinnitus, hyperacousis, diplacusis and distortion of sounds presented isolated or in different combinations. [10]
This research explores the musicians' knowledge of hearing and its protection. Data collection was achieved through a questionnaire developed by the researcher, either online or by immediate delivery and collection after a specified time.
Τhe sample of the study consists of seventy (70) professional musicians, graduates of conservatories or other higher education music schools, men and women, 21-65 years old, speakers of Greek, with or without hearing disorders. The questionnaire consists of thirty-two (32) closed-ended questions divided into four (4) thematic sections:
i. Basic Knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear
ii. Basic Knowledge of Ear Pathology
iii. Ear protection
iv. Hearing Treatment and Rehabilitation
The first part consists of demographic or personal questions about the participants.
Mean values and standard deviations (Standard Deviation = SD) were used to describe the quantitative variables. Absolute (N) and relative (%) frequencies were used to describe the qualitative variables between two groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was used to correlate the two quantitative variables. Linear regression analysis was used to find independent factors related to the overall knowledge score. The internal reliability of the questionnaire as checked using the Cronbach’s-α coefficient. SPSS 22.0 was used for statistical analysis.
The outcome of the present study confirms the research hypothesis that professional musicians graduating from conservatories and other higher education music schools demonstrate significant deficits in relation to what they know about hearing and its protection.
In conclusion, professionals and amateurs, teachers and students in the field need to realize that music is a fundamental human expression and therefore heavily dependent on human decisions. The need arising from this study is to understand that hearing impairments can be prevented through appropriate training that will work alongside therapeutic efforts to address disorders and / or symptoms when they occur. [11]
Keywords:
Music, Knowledge, Awareness, Hearing, Music induced hearing loss, Noise induced hearing loss
