– If it were so dangerous that every other young person’s hearing is worse – then we would have seen it in our patients, says Marie-Louise Andersson Barrenäs.
WHO warns that 1 billion young people (12 to 34 years old) are at risk of permanent hearing loss, after a study published in 2022. It is a consequence of what the researchers call “unsafe listening” – prolonged and excessive exposure to high sound volume.
The researchers are skeptical
Umeå researchers are skeptical that this is actually true.
– We want to be the first in the world to say that the WHO is wrong, says hearing researcher Marie-Louise Andersson Barrenäs at Umeå University.
Hearing has improved
Barrenäs rather believes that hearing has improved, as people’s health has improved and that fewer and fewer are suffering noise damage. In addition, Barrenäs believes that so-called “unsafe listening” has existed for a long time.
– These habits of listening to music in that way started already in the 70s, then those who are around fifty today should be affected now, we don’t think so, says Marie-Louise Andersson Barrenäs.
Unique database
At Umeå University, the researchers have a unique database with all audiograms in Sweden from the last 20 years – a similar database does not exist anywhere else in the world. They will use the database as a basis for investigating whether the WHO’s alarm is correct.
– It will be very exciting, we are very curious to see what it looks like, says Marie-Louise Andersson Barrenäs.
Hear Marie-Louise Andersson Barrenäs about the unique study in the video above.