Use of headphones and headsets can cause hearing problems.
Listening to music at high volume in headphones and use of headsets in noisy environments could be the reason to increase of hearing impairments among youngsters. Stress and psychosocial factors is another.
According to figures published by Statistics Sweden and the Swedish Association of Hard of Hearing People, the proportion of hearing impaired people has increased by more than 14% between 1985 and 2005 and there is a trend that this figure is increasing. Another finding is that we normally connect hard of hearing with older people but today the greatest increase is among people below 30 years old. In order to get more knowledge on what causes this increase The Centre for Hearing- and Communication Research at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm has received 5 million Swedish crowns yearly for 10 years from Swedish council for working life and social research, http://www.fas.se/default____206.aspx.
Eight senior researchers will build three research themes:
1. Epidemiologic studies in order to find risk factor with connection to genetic conditions.
2. The connection between the body’s biological processes and how hearing damages arise.
3. Psychosocial factors.
TCO Development participates in the reference group and will be able to transfer research results to the manufacturing industry through our requirements and test methods in the TCO certification for headsets.
You find more information about the Center for Hearing and Communication Research at http://ki.se/ki/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=15453&a=42598&l=en