So now it's Apple Computer's IPOD. The London Evening Standard this week published a warning issued by the Royal National Institute of the Deaf in the U.K. that London commuters are permanently deafening themselves by turning up the volumes on their IPODs to drown out the noise in the city's underground subway system. The report says that with 39 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds listening to personal stereo headphones or earpods, an entire generation is at risk of developing early hearing loss. The institute has started a website, www.dontlosethemusic.com, to give consumers information and tips on how to prevent early hearing loss: First, turn down the volume. And if there's too much noise in the tube, wear earplugs. Seems like pretty simple advice. But survey after survey shows consumers, especially young people, routinely ignore or simply don't hear it. A recent study of MTV viewers by Harvard Medical School found that only eight percent regarded potential hearing loss as a significant long-term health problem, while more than twice that number put acne at the top of their list. More troubling, fully 61 percent reported having experienced tinnitus, or ringing in their ears, after attending concerts -- a common symptom from prolonged exposure to noise levels high enough to permanently damage hearing. However there is good news: 66 percent said they would use earplugs if they were aware of the potential for hearing loss in certain situations. So, spread the word.
Posted by David at 03:24 PM on May 13, 2005 in ISSUES & ADVOCACY, PRODUCT REVIEWS
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