PURPOSE: to identify the attitudes and the hearing habits of adolescents in relation with environmental noise and in leisure activities. METHODS: 125 teenagers of both genders (68% male and 30.4% female) were included in the study, with an average age of 16.7 years. The adolescents were invited to answer the Brazilian version of the Youth Attitude to Noise Scale (YANS) questionnaire in order to study their attitude towards noise, teenagers' habits and demographic data. Descriptive statistics was used to characterize demographic data and Fisher and Square Chi tests to analyze gender differences. RESULTS: to attitudes: 40.2% agree that noise and high sounds are natural aspects of our society, 32% are prepared to make the school atmosphere less noisy. 85.6% of the teens said that they do not worry before going to shows or even discos and that they had had precedent experiences of buzzing after resonant events, and 75.2% said they never use any hearing protective equipment. To habits: 46.4% of the sample said that they hear music daily using ear phones; 34.4% hear music with house sound equipment in high volumes. Significant results (p < 0.05%) between genders were found in sporting and nautical activities as well as in shooting practices and musical groups. CONCLUSIONS: the members of this study have positive attitudes towards noise and the most common habits were listening to music with headphones or stereo (home or car).
Hearing Loss; Noise-Induced; Adolescents; Habits; Leisure Activities
