WHO Safe Listening Intervention

Online Survey

The Social Marketing Gateway (SMG) is an independent company, commissioned by

the World Health Organisation (WHO) to conduct research into hearing loss. The
information gathered will be used to help countries worldwide to support citizens to
protect their hearing.

All the information we collect from you will be kept by SMG in the strictest confidence
and the findings will be completely anonymous – you won’t be linked in any way to what
you tell us. Please share your honest views.

There are no right or wrong answers – we are just looking for open and honest
feedback.

Please note, respondents must be at least 16 years of age to complete this survey.

Thank you for your help, it's really appreciated.

1. How old are you?

 Under 16 years old (SCREEN OUT)
 16-19 years old
 20-22 years old
 23-25 years old
 26+ years old (SCREEN OUT)

2. Have you ever been diagnosed with a hearing impairment?

 Yes
 No

3. How would you rate your knowledge of hearing loss on a scale of 1 to 5, where
1 means 'I know nothing about it' and 5 means 'I know a lot about it'?

4. Have you ever thought that hearing loss might affect you?
 Yes
 No

5. (IF YES) Have you ever changed your listening behaviour (e.g. the way that you
listen to music) to prevent hearing loss?
 Yes
 No

6. (IF YES) Which of the following did you do? (Select all that apply).
 I have limited the length of time I listen to music at unsafe sound levels (e.g.
turned off your music)
 I have reduced the volume of the music I am listening to
 I have worn ear protection (such as ear plugs)

7. On average, how frequently do you listen to music at a level you would

consider loud?
 Daily

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  2-3 times a week
 Weekly
 2-3 times a month
 Monthly
 Less than monthly

Info: The recommended safe listening level, set by the world health organisation, is 80
decibels (dB) listened to for a maximum of 8 hours a day. Things with noise levels
around 80dB include a food blender, garbage disposal, or the noise level in an average
factory.
Most people listening to music on a phone or other personal device set the volume level
between 75dB and 100dB.
On an average phone, 60% of the maximum volume is deemed to be a safe level.

8. These are some of the biggest issues relating to hearing loss in the world.
Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5 how surprising you find them, where 1 is 'I don't
find this surprising at all' and 5 is 'I am very surprised by this':
 Hearing loss due to loud sounds is irreversible – once you lose your hearing, you
cannot get it back
 Over 43 million people between the ages of 12 and 35 have hearing loss
worldwide
 In many countries, nearly half of people aged 12 to 35 are listening to music at
unsafe sound levels through personal listening devices (e.g. phones, music
players)
 By 2050, it is predicted 1 in every 10 people will have hearing loss
 It is only safe to listen to loud music in an average nightclub for 30 minutes
 In some countries, around 40% of people between the ages of 12 and 35 are
listening to music at damaging sound levels in clubs and bars

9. Were you previously aware of any of those facts? (Yes/No)

 Hearing loss due to loud sounds is irreversible – once you lose your hearing, you
cannot get it back
 Over 43 million people between the ages of 12 and 35 have hearing loss
worldwide
 In many countries, nearly half of people aged 12 to 35 are listening to music at
unsafe sound levels through personal listening devices (e.g. phones, music
players)
 By 2050, it is predicted 1 in every 10 people will have hearing loss
 It is only safe to listen to loud music in an average nightclub for 30 minutes
 In some countries, around 40% of people between the ages of 12 and 35 are
listening to music at damaging sound levels in clubs and bars

10. Hearing loss caused by loud sounds is the result of three interrelated factors –
how loud sound is, how long a person is listening to loud sounds, and how
often they are listening to it.

This type of hearing loss can be prevented by following safe listening

behaviours. The following are some safe listening behaviours that we could
provide advice and information on. On a scale of 1-5, where 1 is 'I wouldn't find
this useful at all' and 5 is 'I would find this very useful', rate how useful you
would find information and advice on each of these:

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  Reducing the volume of sound to a safe level e.g. when listening to music or
watching tv
 Limiting the total length of time you are exposed to loud sound – e.g. advice not
to listen to loud music the same day you are going to a concert
 Wearing ear protection – e.g. advice about locations that wearing earplugs could
be beneficial in

11. How likely is it that you would change your listening behaviour if you were
presented with the following information?: (Very likely, Not likely, Not Sure)
 Key statistics about hearing loss relating to your age group (e.g. how common it
is)
 Information about the long-term impact of hearing loss
 Information about the short-term impact of hearing loss (e.g. ringing in your ears)

12. In which of these situations would you be receptive to receiving messages

about hearing loss? Please select all that feel relevant to you.
 When exercising
 When commuting
 When studying or working
 When attending a live music event (e.g. a gig, festival, concert)
 When attending a live event that is not music focused (e.g. a sport game)
 When attending a party
 When attending a large religious festival
 When you are going out to a pub, club or bar

13. Would any of the following days or times NOT be appropriate for you to receive
messaging about safe listening? Select all that apply.
 Early morning (e.g. 0700hrs-0900hrs)
 Mid-morning (e.g. 0900hrs-1200hrs)
 Afternoon (e.g. 1100hrs-1600hrs)
 Early evening (1600hrs-1900hrs)
 Late evening (e.g. 1900hrs-2100hrs)
 Night (e.g. 2100hrs-0000hrs)
 On weekdays
 On weekends
 Weekend evenings/nights (i.e. Friday and Saturday nights)
 During commuting times (e.g. Monday-Friday)

14. The following are some messages that have been developed to encourage
young people to change their behaviour to reduce their risk of hearing loss.
Please rate each message using the drop-down list to indicate how you feel
about each and if it is likely to make you consider or change your listening
behaviour.

Options: 'This would not make me do anything', ‘This would make me consider how safe
my listening behaviour is, but not do anything’, 'This would be likely to make me change
my behaviour'

a. MESSAGE 1
Certain songs are timeless, but your hearing isn't. Hearing loss is slow to develop and
permanent, turn the volume down today to save your hearing for tomorrow.

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 b. MESSAGE 2
Love to hear from family and friends? Damage to your hearing makes it difficult to
communicate. Consider lowering your volume and stay in contact always.

c. MESSAGE 3
Do your feet ache after a night out? Your ears may be aching too. Try taking breaks from
loud music to prevent irreversible hearing loss.

d. MESSAGE 4
Can people hear your headphone music on the bus? The volume is too high and can
damage your hearing. Try keeping the volume below 60% to protect your ears.

e. MESSAGE 5
Imagine life with bad sound quality. There’s no going back to higher quality once the
damage is done. Protect your hearing – search 'safer listening' for tips.

f. MESSAGE 6
Press pause. Can you hear ringing in your ears? Listening at over 60% volume can
permanently damage your ears. Turn it down, enjoy your music forever.

g. MESSAGE 7
Don't follow the crowd! 1 in 2 people have their headphones at unsafe volume levels.
Don’t put your hearing at risk, lower the volume to 60% to protect your ears

h. MESSAGE 8
Ever experienced ringing ears after a night out? Young people can experience hearing
loss too. Don't wait until it's too late. Act now - search safer listening.

i. MESSAGE 9
Some people may be more susceptible to sound-induced hearing loss than others. Make
sure you never find out if that’s you. Turn the volume down.

j. MESSAGE 10
Is work too loud? You are at risk of irreparable hearing loss. You have the right to protect
your hearing at work – speak to your boss about safer listening.

k. MESSAGE 11
You don`t want to hear the sound of bells before Christmas. Constant ringing in your
ears is an early sign of hearing loss. Keep volume levels low to prevent it

l. MESSAGE 12
You wouldn't go to the beach without sunscreen, so why would you go to a concert
without earplugs? Loud noise can damage your hearing. Next time try earplugs.

15. Who would you be most comfortable receiving messaging about safe listening
from? Select all that apply.
 World Health Organisation (WHO)
 A national healthcare provider (e.g. your country’s national healthcare system,
health board, etc.)
 A private healthcare provider (e.g. health insurers, private hospitals, etc.)
 Your country’s national/federal government

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  Your local/city/state government
 Your local doctor’s surgery/GP practice
 A familiar organisation related to health and wellbeing (e.g. your gym, sports club,
community centre)
 A familiar organisation not necessarily related to health (e.g. your favourite sports
team, a concert venue/promoter, youth groups etc.)
 Your employer
 Your place of study (school, college, university, etc.)
 Your parent or family member
 A friend
 A celebrity or popular music artist

16. Rate each of these platforms for how appropriate you feel is it to receive
messaging about safe listening through, where 1 is 'I wouldn't find this
platform appropriate', and 5 is 'This is a very appropriate platform'.
 SMS text
 Social media messaging
 Email
 Targeted online advert

17. Now that you have participated in this survey and learned some key facts
about hearing loss, do you think this will make you change your behaviour to
reduce your risk?
 Yes
 No
 Don't know/unsure

18. What country are you living in? (List of UN Countries)

[See below]

19. How would you describe your ethnicity?

 White
 Hispanic or Latino
 Black, African or African American
 Native American or American Indian
 Asian / Pacific Islander
 Prefer not to say
 Other

You have completed this survey!

Thank you for completing our survey and helping to support individuals worldwide to
protect their hearing.

We are looking to reach as many people as possible across the world, so please
forward this link to as many others as you can:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/safelisteningsurvey/

For further tips and advice on how to listen safely, you can visit the link below.

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 https://www.who.int/deafness/make-listening-safe/Tips-for-safe-listening-2019.pdf

Many thanks and safe listening!

List of countries:
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Angola
Antigua & Deps
Argentina
Armenia
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Rep
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Congo {Democratic Rep}
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark

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Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland {Republic}
Israel
Italy
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kiribati
Korea North
Korea South
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho

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Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar, {Burma}
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
St Kitts & Nevis
St Lucia
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino

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Sao Tome & Principe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe