Beyond the pleasures of music: Are music teachers at risk?

Abstract

This study intended to find whether music teachers’ exposure to noise has got potential to produce hearing impairments and to investigate their actual hearing status. Twenty music teachers from a Portuguese college-level school of music were surveyed for their daily noise exposure and were submitted to several hearing tests. Occupational history, self-reported hearing disorders and use of personal hearing protectors were among the information collected with a questionnaire. Most teacher’s daily exposure to noise is below 80 dB(A), and less than 15 % of them were diagnosed with mild sensorineural hearing loss. Occupational exposure to noise does not seem to be the only factor responsible for this impairment. Recommendations on how to reduce the risk of hearing loss and control noise exposures are suggested and awareness rising strategies are under consideration.