Apple Hearing Study has published some new data to point out some new insights on hearing health. A study that relies on data provided by participants via their iPhone and Apple Watch and reveals interesting conclusions.
The study started in September 2019 and allowed participants to contribute data via the dedicated app. This project allowed researchers to have access to quality data while always respecting the privacy of the participants.
Apple Hearing Study shares interesting data about hearing health
The study is a cooperation between Apple and the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the data and results will be given to the World Health Organization to promote a hearing health initiative. The truth is that with such varied participation this study has been able to offer conclusions that go beyond many studies already published on the subject.
“The new insights generated leveraging this unprecedented data demonstrate that 25 percent of participants experience a daily average environmental sound exposure (which can include traffic, machinery, public transport, and so on) that is higher than the WHO recommended limit,” the officials stated.
Something that, as the same study comments, fits with the fact that 50% of the participants claim to work in noisy environments. Something that the Noise app on our Apple Watch helps us to be aware of. The truth is that it is striking that in a year of pandemic, where it is common to be at home, it has been recorded that 25% of participants are exposed to sounds of too high a level.
In addition to the data on ambient sound levels, Apple also collects the volume levels of the headphones. With this information, it has been concluded that 10% of the participants are exposed to sounds at a volume higher than the limit recommended by the WHO.
By the way, if we tend to turn up the volume of our headphones too high without realizing it, we can go to Settings > Sounds > Reduce loud sounds and, after activating it, set a decibel limit.
Other interesting findings of the study are below:
- 1 in 10 participants has been professionally diagnosed with hearing loss.
- 75% of those professionally diagnosed with hearing loss do not use a hearing aid or cochlear implant.
- 1 in 5 participants experiences hearing loss compared to World Health Organization standards.
- 1 in 4 participants experiences ringing in the ears several times a week or more.