Noise pollution in cities and hearing loss: 64% positive correlation
Noise
Digital hearing app Mimi has published a report detailing hearing loss around the world by investigating how noise pollution in cities relates to hearing.
The study used data collected from over 200,000 participants using the Mimi app hearing test, statistics from the World Health Organization, and a recent SINTEF research organization report on noise pollution. The Mimi app is used to test hearing after indicating one’s location, age and sex.
The study used the average hearing loss index and found that it showed 64% positive correlation with noise pollution levels in each city, indicating that hearing loss may be an outcome of living in these cities. The results of the hearing loss index of each city and the noise pollution data were mapped to range between 0 and 1. The sum of these two rankings was combined to give an overall combined hearing loss rank.
Cities in central and northern Europe, Zurich, Vienna, Munich, and Oslo for instance, were found to have the lowest combined hearing loss index, while cities in Asia and Africa showed the highest indices. These included Delhi, Istanbul, Guangzhou, and Cairo.
“With the worldwide hearing index, we are aiming to create visibility and highlight the importance of good hearing and hearing health. Hearing is one of our most important senses, but has no lobby and little awareness so far. Smartphone technologies nowadays make it easy to take a first step, to test your hearing and get informed about your hearing health,” says Dr. Henrik Matthies, Managing Director of Mimi Hearing Technologies.
Source: News Medical; Mimi Hearing Technologies.
