Laboratory evaluation of an optimised internet-based speech-in-noise test for occupational high-frequency hearing loss screening: Occupational Earcheck

Rashid, Marya Sheikh; Leensen, M. C. J.; Laat, J. A. P. M. de; Dreschler, Wouter A.

doi:10.1080/14992027.2017.1333634

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…The chief patient complaint is usually difficulty understanding during conversations rather than hearing impairment itself and leads to low discrimination scores in the speech-in-noise test. When it progresses to 2-4 kHz, it affects speech understanding in most situations [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age-related hearing loss in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

et al. 2020

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Objectives Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), also known as presbycusis, is a chronic disorder characterized by impairment of the transduction of acoustic signals. This study analysed the prevalence and demographic characteristics of ARHL in the Korean population. Methods We used the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2009 to 2012 and analysed the association between age and hearing impairment. A total of 16,799 adults were selected for the current study. Physical examinations, blood tests, otoscopic examinations, and hearing tests were performed. The demographic variables included age, gender, obesity, economic status, education level, noise exposure history, and underlying diseases. Results Among 16,799 participants, the prevalence of unilateral hearing loss was 8% (1,349 people), and bilateral hearing loss was 5.9% (989 people). Men were 53.4% more likely to have hearing loss than women. Age and underlying diseases, like hypertension, diabetes, and abdominal obesity, were significantly associated with hearing loss (P < 0.0001). Further, mental health factors, such as cognitive function, depression, and suicidal ideation, were related to hearing loss. The prevalence of hearing loss increased with advancing years, especially in the high frequency of 6 kHz, with a sharply increase in patients aged 65 and over. Conclusion The analysis of auditory performance in the Korean population confirmed the association of high-frequency hearing loss with advancing age. A threshold of 6 kHz should be included to correctly diagnose hearing impairment in elderly patients. Patients with ARHL should be provided with suitable aural rehabilitation that includes active high-frequency control.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age-related hearing loss in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

et al. 2020

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“…In addition, within LMICs, individuals may be required to travel substantial distances for hearing screening as health care providers are severely limited and unequally distributed (Mulwafu et al, 2017). The high costs involved and limited access to population-based hearing screening has led to various initiatives to use telephone-and Internet-based speech-innoise (SIN) screening tests (Folmer et al, 2017;Jansen, Luts, Wagener, Frachet, & Wouters, 2010;Paglialonga, Tognola, & Grandori, 2014;Sheikh Rashid, Leensen, de Laat, & Dreschler, 2017;Smits, Kapteyn, & Houtgast, 2004;Vlaming, MacKinnon, Jansen, & Moore, 2014;Watson, Kidd, Miller, Smits, & Humes, 2012). Although all these tests measure speech recognition in noise, they vary in terms of speech stimuli, type of background noise, and test procedure.…”

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confidence: 99%

A Smartphone National Hearing Test: Performance and Characteristics of Users

et al. 2018

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The smartphone digits-in-noise hearing test, called hearZA, was made available as a self-test in South Africa in March 2016. This study determined characteristics and test performance of the listeners who took the test. Method: A retrospective analysis of 24,072 persons who completed a test between March 2016 and August 2017 was conducted. User characteristics, including age, Englishspeaking competence, and self-reported hearing difficulty, were analyzed. Regression analyses were conducted to determine predictors of the speech reception threshold. Results: Overall referral rate of the hearZA test was 22.4%, and 37% of these reported a known hearing difficulty. Age distributions showed that 33.2% of listeners were ages 30 years and younger, 40.5% were between ages 31 and 50 years, and 26.4% were older than 50 years. Age, selfreported English-speaking competence, and self-reported hearing difficulty were significant predictors of the speech reception threshold. Conclusions: High test uptake, particularly among younger users, and high overall referral rate indicates that the hearZA app addresses a public health need. The test also reaches target audiences, including those with self-reported hearing difficulty and those with normal hearing who should monitor their hearing ability.

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“…A subject would get a poor (i.e., positive) result for OEC if the test result of at least one ear was ≥ − 14.9 dB SNR. More details on the development of OEC are described elsewhere by Sheikh Rashid et al ( 2017a , b ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The rescreening was conditional: a retest was only provided for the ear(s) with a positive test result, or with an intra-individual SD of > 3 dB. Based on previous research, test results with an intra-individual SD of > 3 dB were considered unreliable (Sheikh Rashid et al 2017a ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A phased approach was maintained to evaluate this test for screening purposes in noise-exposed workers. In the first phase, the concept was improved for HFHL, and tested in a well-controlled laboratory setting in a population that was recruited by means of a two-gate design, with normal-hearing cases on the one hand, and known HFHL cases on the other (Sheikh Rashid et al 2017a ). In the second phase, the improved test was evaluated in an unselected group of noise-exposed employees in a quiet office room at the work place (Sheikh Rashid et al 2017b ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Accuracy of an internet-based speech-in-noise hearing screening test for high-frequency hearing loss: incorporating automatic conditional rescreening

Rashid

Dreschler

2018

Int Arch Occup Environ Health

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PurposeTo validate the accuracy of an internet-based speech-in-noise hearing screening test for high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL) ‘Occupational Earcheck (OEC)’ incorporating an automatic conditional rescreening, in an occupationally noise-exposed population. Secondary objectives were to assess the effects of age on test accuracy measures, and to assess the test accuracy for different degrees of HFHL.MethodsA study was conducted on cross-sectional data of occupational audiometric examinations, including the index test OEC and reference standard pure-tone air conduction audiometry, of 80 noise-exposed workers. Sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratios were calculated for the OEC, after automatic conditional rescreening, for a younger and an older age group, and for two degrees of HFHL (HFHL25: PTA3,4,6 ≥ 25 dB HL, and HFHL35: PTA3,4,6 ≥ 35 dB HL, both for at least one ear).ResultsTest specificity for HFHL25 after a single test was 63%, and improved to 93% after the automatic conditional rescreen. Test sensitivity for HFHL25 decreased from 65% to 59%. Test sensitivity and specificity including automatic conditional rescreening for HFHL35 was 94% and 90%, respectively. The positive likelihood ratio for HFHL25 was 8.4, and for HFHL35 9.4. The negative likelihood ratio for HFHL35 was below 0.1.ConclusionsThe OEC is an appropriate screening test, especially for HFHL35. Normal-hearing workers who obtained a positive test result for the first test for one or two ears, benefit from having an automatic rescreen, resulting in an improvement of the test specificity, and hence prevent unnecessary referral.

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Laboratory evaluation of an optimised internet-based speech-in-noise test for occupational high-frequency hearing loss screening: Occupational Earcheck

Cited by 11 publications

References 25 publications

Age-related hearing loss in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Age-related hearing loss in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

A Smartphone National Hearing Test: Performance and Characteristics of Users

Accuracy of an internet-based speech-in-noise hearing screening test for high-frequency hearing loss: incorporating automatic conditional rescreening

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