Validation of the Thai Five-Minute Hearing Test to Screen Hearing Loss in the Community

Abstract

Background: Hearing impairment affects communication, social interactions, and quality of life. Audiometry is the gold standard method for hearing assessment. However, it is impractical in a country with limited resources. This study aimed to validate the Thai version of the Five-Minute Hearing Test (Thai-FMHT) to screen hearing loss in the community. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in Phu Wieng district, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand during July to September 2011. Subjects who were older than 18 years, could read or understand the Thai language, and wanted to participate were enrolled. Those who had aphasia, severe mental disability, or other conditions that precluded audiometry were excluded. The Thai-FMHT was first administered, followed by standard audiometry performed by audiologists who were blinded to the result of Thai-FMHT, and finally an ear examination was performed. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrial.gov as No. NCT01408992. Results: The 558 subjects, including 176 males (32%) and 382 females (68%), completed all of the procedures. The optimal cutoff point for hearing loss in this screen was 8. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio of the Thai-FMHT to screen mild hearing loss (PTA_{0.5-2 kHz} >25 dB) were 64.7% (95% CI, 56.1-72.7%), 60.0% (95% CI, 55.1-64.7%), and 1.62 (95% CI, 1.36-1.92), respectively. Regarding screening moderate hearing loss (PTA_{0.5-2 kHz} >40 dB), the sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio of the Thai-FMHT were 93.1% (95% CI, 77.2-99.2%), 56.5% (95% CI, 55.1-64.7%), and 2.1 (95% CI, 1.9-2.5), respectively. Conclusion: The Thai-FMHT has a lower cutoff point than does the original one. This test is suitable for use as a screening tool for hearing loss in the community.

A study on the IOS application “uHear” as a screening tool for hearing loss in Bangkok

“…Adequate identification of hearing impairment would allow patients to receive fitted hearing aids, which would improve their quality of life and prevent psychiatric and functional impairments 5,6 . Therefore, a limited‐resource screening tool is necessary, and such a tool must be evaluated for its sensitivity, specificity, and applicability 7,8 …”

“…5,6 Therefore, a limited-resource screening tool is necessary, and such a tool must be evaluated for its sensitivity, specificity, and applicability. 7,8 Many early screening tools for hearing loss are now available, such as applications for computers, tablets, and mobile phones, which are cheap and easy to use. Comparisons with standard audiometry show that application-based screening tools can accurately estimate a person's hearing level.…”

The effective screening tools for detecting hearing loss in elderly population: HHIE-ST Versus TSQ

“…test and Three Single Questions and a 5-Minute Hearing Test [21][22][23][24][25][26]. These questionnaires have been translated and validated in many languages all over the world [27][28][29][30][31].…”

The Effective Screening Tools for Detecting Hearing Loss in Elderly Population: HHIE-ST Versus TSQ

“…(15)(16)(17)(18)(19) Several (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) These questionnaires have been translated and validated in many languages all over the world. (26)(27)(28)(29)(30) The Three Single Questions test has not been tested to determine its diagnostic value for screening hearing impairment in elderly subjects. The 5-Minute Hearing Test is composed of 15 questions with a wide range of sensitivities and speci cities for screening hearing impairment in elderly subjects.…”