AS PERSPECTIVAS DA SAÚDE AUDITIVA NA ATUAÇÃO EM MUSICOTERAPIA

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the self-perceived hearing health of music therapists through a comprehensive analysis of their general health, hearing habits, and professional and leisure routines. A thorough literature review was conducted to inform the development of a questionnaire specifically designed to gather information about the hearing health of this particular population. The questionnaire consisted of 19 carefully crafted questions, and 31 music therapists participated in the study. The collected data underwent both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, with the narratives provided by the music therapists being analyzed separately. The results revealed a significant association between the number of days worked per week and the prevalence of tinnitus among music therapists. Furthermore, it was observed that the professionals exhibited low adherence to routine hearing tests, despite being exposed to high-intensity sounds during their music therapy sessions. The findings indicate that music therapists are at risk of developing hearing loss, similar to musicians, due to prolonged exposure to loud sounds. However, it is worth noting that this topic remains relatively understudied in scientific discourse, with limited publications and insufficient coverage in professional events about the hearing health of music therapists. Therefore, this study contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on an important yet overlooked aspect of occupational health in music therapy.