The use of earplugs in loud music venues is confined to a small minority who wish to avoid hearing damage from excessive noise exposure. Using the framework of the health belief model (HBM), structured interviews were held with 20 earplug-wearing clubbers. Qualitative analysis revealed the HBM constructs relevant to understanding this group’s motivation to protect their hearing. Personal experience of noise injury symptoms was the most common cue triggering earplug use. Awareness of the benefits of earplugs and appreciation of the long-term implications of hearing damage, affinity for music and high self-efficacy were also key variables underlying this health behaviour.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2003–2004) Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Detailed Expenditure Items. Canberra: ACT.
2.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) Census of Population and Housing: Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), Australia – Data Only(No. 2033.0.55.001). Canberra: ACT.
3.
BanduraA (2004) Health promotion by social cognitive means. Health Education and Behavior31(2): 143–164.
4.
BeachEFWilliamsWGilliverM (2010) Hearing protection for clubbers is music to their ears. Health Promotion Journal of Australia21(3): 215–221.
5.
BeckerMH (1974) The health belief model and personal health behavior. Health Education Monographs2: 324–508.
6.
BeenstockJAdamsJWhiteM (2010) The association between time perspective and alcohol consumption in university students: Cross-sectional study. European Journal of Public Health00: 1–6 (accessed 1 January 2011).
7.
BlesserB (2007) The seductive (yet destructive) appeal of very loud music. eContact! 9.4. Montreal: Canadian Electroacoustic Community.
8.
BogochIIHouseRAKudlaI (2005) Perceptions about hearing protection and noise-induced hearing loss of attendees of rock concerts. Canadian Journal of Public Health96(1): 69–72.
9.
ChungJHDes RochesCMMeunierJEaveyRD (2005) Evaluation of noise-induced hearing loss in young people using a web-based survey technique. Pediatrics115(4): 861–867.
10.
DobieRA (2008) The burdens of age-related and occupational noise-induced hearing loss in the United States. Ear and Hearing29(4): 565–577.
11.
DongHGreenSThomasN (2007) Redesigning earplugs: Issues relating to desirability and universal access. In: StephanidisC (ed.) Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction (Vol. 1). Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 137–146.
12.
FedermanJPicouE (2009) Music and hearing protection: A call to action. Perspectives on Audiology5(1): 3–9.
13.
GogginLSEikelboomRHEdwardsGS. (2008) Noise levels, hearing disturbances, and use of hearing protection at entertainment venues. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Audiology30(1): 50–58.
HetuRFortinM (1995) Potential risk of hearing damage associated with exposure to highly amplified music. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology6(5): 378–386.
16.
HinoteBP (2007) Health locus of control. In: RitzerG (ed.) Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, Vol. 4. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2063–2064.
17.
JanzNKBeckerMH (1984) The health belief model: A decade later. Health Education Quarterly11(1): 1–47.
18.
JenkinsCD (2003) Building Better Health: A Handbook of Behavioral Change. Washington, DC: Pan American Health Organization.
19.
LaitinenH (2005) Factors affecting the use of hearing protectors among classical music players. Noise & Health7(26): 21–29.
Live Performance Australia (2010) Size and Scope of the Live Entertainment Industry. Melbourne: VIC.
22.
MalbonB (1999) Clubbing: Dancing, Ecstasy and Vitality. London: Routledge.
23.
MercierVHohmannBW (2002) Is electronically amplified music too loud? What do young people think?Noise & Health4(16): 47–55.
24.
MooreMDahlenER (2008) Forgiveness and consideration of future consequences in aggressive driving. Accident Analysis and Prevention40(5): 1661–1666.
25.
NOHSC (2004a) National Standard for Occupational Noise [NOHSC: 1007(2000)]. Canberra: National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.
26.
NOHSC (2004b) Occupational Disease Profiles: National Prevention of Occupational Noise Induced Hearing Loss(Summary Report ed.). Canberra: National Occupational Health and Safety Commission.
27.
NutbeamDHarrisE (1998) Theory in a Nutshell: A Practitioner’s Guide to Commonly Used Theories and Models in Health Promotion. Sydney: National Centre for Health Promotion.
28.
Olsen WidénSErlandssonS (2004) The influence of socio-economic status on adolescent attitude to social noise and hearing protection. Noise & Health7(25): 59–70.
29.
RawoolVWColligon-WayneLA (2008) Auditory lifestyles and beliefs related to hearing loss among college students in the USA. Noise & Health10(38): 1–10.
RogersEM (2003) Diffusion of Innovations. New York: Free Press.
32.
RothspanSReadSJ (1996) Present versus future time perspective and HIV risk among heterosexual college students. Health Psychology15(4): 131–134.
33.
SerraMRBiassoniECOritz SkarpAHSerraMJoekesS (2007) Sound immission during leisure activities and auditory behaviour. Applied Acoustics68(4): 403–420.
34.
SerraMRBiassoniECRichterU. (2005) Recreational noise exposure and its effects on the hearing of adolescents. Part I: An interdisciplinary long-term study. International Journal of Audiology44(2): 65–73.
35.
SmithPDavisAFergusonMLutmanM (2000) The prevalence and type of social noise exposure in young adults. Noise & Health2(6): 41–56.
36.
Standards Australia (2005) Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 1269.1: 2005 Occupational Noise Management Part 1: Measurement and Assessment of Noise Immission and Exposure. Sydney: Standards Australia.
37.
VogelIBrugJHosliEJVan Der PloegCPRaatH (2008) MP3 players and hearing loss: Adolescents’ perceptions of loud music and hearing conservation. Journal of Pediatrics152(3): 400–404.
38.
WeichboldVZorowkaP (2005) Will adolescents visit discotheque less often if sound levels of music are decreased?HNO53(10): 845–851.
39.
WHO (1980) Environmental Health Criteria 12 NOISE. Geneva: World Health Organization.
40.
WHO (1997) Prevention of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. Geneva: World Health Organization.
41.
WidénSEHolmesAEJohnsonTBohlinMCErlandssonSI (2009) Hearing, use of hearing protection, and attitudes towards noise among young American adults. International Journal of Audiology48(8): 537–545.
42.
WilliamsSLDiMatteoMRHaskardKB (2009) Psychosocial barriers to adherence and lifestyle change. In: ShumakerSAOckeneJKRiekertKA (eds) The Handbook of Health Behavior Change. New York: Springer, 445–462.
43.
WilliamsWBeachEFGilliverM (2010) Clubbing – the Cumulative Effect of Noise Exposure from Attendance at Dance Clubs and Night Clubs on Whole-of-Life Noise Exposure. Noise & Health12(48): 155–158.
44.
WorkCoverNSW (2001) Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Sydney: WorkCover.
