The Influence of Knowledge and Behavior of Student's Personal Listening Devices Usage On The Speech Frequency Hearing Threshold In Online Learning During The Pandemic Period

Abstract

In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, activities have changed to be online, which increased the use of technology, one of which was audiovisual. Most users use personal listening devices (PLDs) such as earphones, headphones, and so on to make it easier to listen to conversations, study, entertainment, and many more. Although there are many benefits to using PLDs, these devices also indirectly hurt hearing. WHO estimates there will be a certain degree of increased hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises. This study aims to determine the effect of students' knowledge, and behavior in PLDs usage on the speech frequency hearing threshold. It was observational-analytic research by filling out online questionnaires for students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Brawijaya. We selected the samples by consecutive sampling and selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then bivariate analysis was carried out with the chi-square test. The variables measured were the level of knowledge, the level of behavior in PLDs usage, and the speech frequency hearing threshold level. The results showed no relationship between knowledge and behavior to the speech frequency hearing threshold (p-value>0.05). The conclusion was that increased PLDs usage during the pandemic could increase hearing loss risk. Routine hearing screening is needed to prevent hearing loss among students.