Hearing screening in video game players with headphones use

Background: Hearing loss due to noise can cause by entertainment activities. Loud noise resulting from use of earphones with excessive volume and for long periods threatens the safety of the user's hearing.

Purpose: To determine the hearing function of video game players who use headphones.

Methods: This research is a descriptive study with a cross-sectional design. Hearing function of the players were carried out using pure tone audiometry.

Results: Total of 56 subjects were male (100%) and 66.1% subjects had used headphones for <12 months, 7.1% for 12-24 months and 26.8% for >24 months. As many as 87.5% subjects were exposed to headphone noise for <3 hours per day, 10.7% subjects for 4-6 hours per day and 1.8% for >6 hours per day. The volume level of headphones gamers was mostly set at 6 (39.3%). Based on pure tone audiometry, all subjects had normal hearing thresholds at low frequencies (500Hz and 1000Hz) and medium frequencies (2000Hz and 4000 Hz). Only 3 subjects (5%) had an increase of hearing threshold at high frequencies (6000Hz and 8000Hz).

Conclusion: The hearing thresholds for each ear in video game players who use headphones based on frequency groups were identified in this study. An increase in hearing threshold in gamers could be an early sign of hearing loss, then hearing conservation education program should be considered for active gamers.