The ubiquitous iPod could be sowing the seeds of an ubiquitous hearing epidemic, according to an alarming research from Johns Hopkins University. The group estimated that one-in-three Americans currently suffer from some sort of hearing loss in at least one ear, a number that could easily expand. That translates into a total of 55 million people, most densely concentrated among males, whites, and the undereducated.
More alarmingly, the researchers estimated that one-in-six, or 29 million Americans, have trouble understanding conversational speech. "The prevalence of hearing loss in the United States is predicted to rise significantly because of an aging population and the growing use of personal listening devices," said Dr. Yuri Agrawal. "Indeed, there is concern that we may be facing an epidemic of hearing impairment."
Peter Townshend points at high volume headphone use as the cause for his tinnitus. What is it about white, undereducated males that make them susceptible to loud volume? Two words: Free Bird.
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