A Smartphone Application and Education Program for Hearing Health Promotion in High School Teenagers

Jolie L Chang; Camille Huwyler; Norimasa Yoshida; Jennifer Henderson Sabes; Steven W Cheung

doi:10.1002/lary.30411

A Smartphone Application and Education Program for Hearing Health Promotion in High School Teenagers

Laryngoscope. 2023 Aug;133(8):2007-2013. doi: 10.1002/lary.30411. Epub 2022 Sep 28.

Authors

Jolie L Chang^{1

2}, Camille Huwyler¹, Norimasa Yoshida³, Jennifer Henderson Sabes¹, Steven W Cheung^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
² Surgical Services, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA.
³ Nori Consultants, Piedmont, California, USA.

PMID: 36169307
DOI: 10.1002/lary.30411

Abstract

Objectives: To assess knowledge retention after video-based hearing health education and measure headphone listening behavior change using a novel smartphone application.

Methods: In this prospective longitudinal study, students participated in video-based hearing health education and hearing screening sessions. Hearing health knowledge was assessed in students and parents after 6 weeks. A novel smartphone application was created to measure daily noise exposure based on volume settings with headphone use and to display the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) noise doses with alerts for cumulative daily doses nearing the maximum.

Results: Seventy-six teenage students and parents participated. Eighty three percent of participants identified as a racial or ethnic minority and 66% were of low-income socioeconomic status. Hearing health knowledge was retained in students 6 weeks after education and parents' knowledge improved from baseline. The smartphone app was installed on 12 student phones, and 25% of days monitored exhibited noise doses that exceeded the NIOSH maximum. App use for at least 10 days by nine students showed a significant reduction in average daily noise dose and time spent at the highest volume settings during the second-half of app use.

Conclusions: Video-based hearing health education with knowledge question reinforcement was associated with knowledge retention in students and improved parental attitudes and knowledge about hearing conservation. A smartphone app with a real-time display of headphone cumulative noise exposure dose identified at-risk students. The integration of hearing health education, hearing screening, and digital health tools has promised to promote positive behavior changes for long-term hearing conservation.

Level of evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:2007-2013, 2023.

Keywords: digital health; hearing health education; noise-induced hearing loss; smartphone application and technology.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Ethnicity
Health Promotion
Hearing
Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced* / prevention & control
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Minority Groups
Mobile Applications*
Prospective Studies
Schools
Smartphone