The prevalence and awareness of personal listening devices use and hearing loss among medical students in Saudi Arabia

Background: NIHL results from irreparable damage to the inner ear's cochlear hair cells. In addition, a potential consequence of using prevalent PLDs puts the users at greater risk of hearing loss when misusing these devices. Objectives: This study evaluates the prevalence and awareness of PLDs and NIHL among medical students in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with a representative random sample of 600 medical students in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed through social media. We collected data regarding participants' awareness of NIHL caused by PLDs and its risk factors and symptoms. Results: 608 students completed the questionnaire, whose mean age was 23.1 +/- 3.7 years. 27.1% of the participants reported that they were suffering from hearing loss. All of the participants reported using at least one type of PLD. The most familiar type of PLDs was Earphones (32.1%), followed by headphones (26%). The overall knowledge about NIHL was low. However, moderate to high knowledge about the causes and symptoms of NIHL was found. We found a statistically significant connection among hearing damage and: Region of residence and academic year and type of PLD, level of device volume and most common purpose of device use. Conclusion: The study showed that PLD use and NIHL awareness are widespread among Saudi Arabian medical students. Medical students need to pay more attention, enhance their level of concentration and use less PLDs as they prepare to offer healthcare in the future.