A new study reveals that women generally have better hearing than men. It also found that where people live and their age can impact their hearing. People in rural areas tend to have better hearing than those living in cities.
Hearing problems are becoming more common, and while it’s known that hearing declines with age, other factors like gender, environment, and ethnicity also play a role. The research, led by Dr. Patricia Balaresque in France, tested the hearing of 450 people from 13 different countries, including England, Ecuador, and South Africa.
The scientists tested how the cochlea in the ear responds to sound using a method called Transient-Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE). They already knew that most people hear better in their right ear and that hearing decreases with age. However, they were surprised to find that gender and where a person lives matter more than expected.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, showed that women’s hearing is, on average, two decibels more sensitive than men’s across all the groups studied.
Environment played a big part in hearing ability too. People living in forests had the best hearing, while those at high altitudes had the worst. The study suggests that people in forests may have better hearing because they need to stay alert to non-human sounds. It could also be because there’s less pollution in these areas.
At high altitudes, people may have reduced hearing due to lower air pressure and less oxygen. People living in cities had a shift toward hearing higher frequencies, possibly because of the noise from traffic.
The study showed that women have better hearing, which may be due to hormonal differences during development or slight structural differences in the ear. Women also perform better on hearing tests and can process sound better than men. However, the study notes that more sensitive hearing in noisy environments may not always be an advantage and could affect health.
The researchers hope this study will lead to a better understanding of hearing loss and why some people are more sensitive to noise than others. By learning more about these factors, they hope to improve strategies to protect hearing health.
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