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AI-DRAFTED — PHYSICIAN REVIEW IN PROGRESSThe citation for this entry was checked against Crossref and PubMed, but its summary and interpretation were drafted by an AI model from the published abstract and have not yet been individually read by a physician. Read the linked source before relying on this operationally.
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Factors Associated With High-fidelity Earplug Use at Social Music Venues and Its Otologic Benefits[1]

Ayo-Ajibola O, Kistler N, Lin ME, Long R, Wei EX, Choi JS, Doherty J · 2026 · Otol Neurotol

Summary

Cross-sectional survey of 2,352 online-music-community members on high-fidelity earplug (HFE) use at live music events. HFEs — which attenuate without degrading sound quality — were the most-used protection modality (57% of protection users). HFE users were more concerned about venue noise, more often cited prior post-event hearing symptoms and "maintained music quality" as reasons, and reported fewer subsequent difficulties hearing others, hearing high-pitched sounds, and dizziness/balance problems. In multivariable models HFE users were more likely to have diagnosed hearing problems (OR 2.71) and symptom resolution (OR 2.38); higher annual event attendance raised HFE use (OR 1.04/event); relative to EDM events, country, hip-hop/rap, and pop attendance lowered use.

So what

The prevention entry the noise shelf needs: it shows that the sound-quality-preserving earplug is both the most-adopted and the most-beneficial protection, and that adoption tracks with prior symptoms and attendance dose — meaning a festival's hearing-protection strategy should push HFEs specifically (not foam plugs attendees reject for wrecking the music) and target high-dose attendees. Links the Noise chapter to a concrete, purchasable intervention, and the genre gradient (EDM highest) dovetails with the genre-prediction page's acuity findings.

Key findings

  • Survey of 2,352 music-community members on hearing protection at live events
  • High-fidelity earplugs the most-used modality (57%) - preserve sound quality
  • HFE users: fewer post-event hearing difficulties, dizziness; symptom resolution OR 2.38
  • Adoption rises with prior hearing problems (OR 2.71) and attendance dose
  • Genre gradient: EDM highest HFE use; country/hip-hop/pop lower

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