Tertiary music students' hearing health behaviors: ignorance is not bliss.

INTRODUCTION: Hearing loss is a serious concern among musicians due to the hearing health risks associated with their profession and the high prevalence of music-induced hearing loss (MIHL). Tertiary music students are particularly vulnerable to MIHL due to high sound exposure in educational and recreational settings, yet South African (SA) research on musicians' hearing health is scarce. This study explored the hearing health behaviors of tertiary music students, investigating how they manage their hearing health, and their attitudes toward and knowledge about their hearing health. METHODOLOGY: Using a qualitative descriptive design and convenience sampling, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 tertiary music students at a university in SA. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) resulting in five main themes: Hearing Conservation, Hearing Protection Devices, Music Exposure, Occupational Environment, and Responsibility. The Health Belief Model (HBM) (Janz and Becker, 1984) and the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) (Michie et al., 2011) together provided a comprehensive framework for the interpretation and discussion of the RTA results. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Despite acknowledging individual responsibility, students adopted protective measures infrequently, constrained by inadequate knowledge, education, and resources, and a lack of institutional support. Although these tertiary music students recognize MIHL risks, their hearing health behaviors are inadequate. Hearing health promotion strategies, including hearing conservation education embedded in tertiary music education, are recommended for addressing the multi-dimensional contributing factors for optimal hearing health behaviors in the tertiary music setting.