Hispanics with risky listening habits
According to a survey commissioned by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, ASHA, more than 50 percent of adolescent Hispanics in the U.S. listen to their iPods at extremely high volume, in comparison with 41 percent of the general population of similar age.
Some listening habits among adolescents include:
- 42 percent of young Hispanics listen to their MP3 for 1 to 4 hours daily as compared with 30 percent of the general young adult population.
- 30 percent of the young Hispanics use these devices for more than 4 hours daily as compared with 11 percent of the general young population.
- Adolescent Hispanics (43 percent) are more likely to listen to their personal stereo than other adolescents in the US (36 percent).
Bad habits among adults, too
In the adult population, Hispanics in the U.S. are less likely to listen to personal stereos. However, when they do, they, too, tend to engage in riskier habits. Half of them listen to their personal stereos at a high volume in comparison with 38 percent of the general adult population. In addition:
- 50 percent of them listen to their MP3 for 1 to 4 hours daily compared to 38 percent of the general population.
- Only 4 percent of Hispanics, on the other hand, listen to their personal stereos for more than four hours daily as compared to 15 percent of the general US population.
A comparative study in Mexico and Puerto Rico found that 72 and 69 percent, respectively, of adults listen to their MP3 for 1-4 hours and more. 60 percent of Puerto Ricans listen at a high volume while this is the case in only 36 percent of the cases in Mexico.
About the survey
Hispanics make up 15 percent of the total U.S. population, or 45 million. The survey was carried out with the aim of promoting awareness and prevention of hearing loss.
The survey was carried out by telephone in the U.S. and by an on-line questionnaire in Puerto Rico and Mexico, in October 2006. Results were compared with those of a previous study among the general US population. However, the survey failed to explain the possible reasons for the riskier listening habits exhibited among Hispanics.
Source: www.hispanicprwire.com