The investigation rolled out through Specsavers, which surveyed more than 2,000 individuals aged between 18 and 44, uncovered that nearly half of them had suffered some form of hearing impairment.
Shockingly, one in ten of the respondents admitted to attending live music events every three months, with more than half reporting ringing or muted hearing after the shows.
Furthermore, a significant portion of the surveyed young adults expressed reluctance to attend future live music events due to concerns about potential hearing damage. Despite this, the study highlighted a concerning trend: a vast majority, a staggering 84%, confessed to never using earplugs for hearing protection during such events.
The findings underscore the need for greater awareness regarding hearing protection, as indicated by 14% of respondents who admitted uncertainty about where to acquire such protection. Moreover, despite the availability of various earplug options, a quarter of those surveyed confessed to never even considering purchasing hearing protection prior to attending live music events.
Gordon Harrison, Chief Audiologist at Specsavers, emphasized the misconception that hearing issues only affect older individuals. He warned that delaying addressing hearing problems could exacerbate them over time.
While some brands like Loop and Vibes are actively targeting young music enthusiasts with their products, there still exist misconceptions among the younger generation about the necessity of wearing hearing protection. Despite this, there is a growing acceptance among Gen-Z ravers regarding the importance of safeguarding their hearing during live music events.
