TY - JOUR
T1 - Speech-in-noise screening tests by internet, part 2: improving test sensitivity for noise-induced hearing loss
AU - Leensen, Monique C. J.
AU - de Laat, Jan A. P. M.
AU - Snik, Ad F. M.
AU - Dreschler, Wouter A.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - An easily accessible screening test can be valuable in the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The Dutch National Hearing Foundation developed 'Earcheck', an internet-based speech-in-noise test, presenting CVC-words in stationary broadband noise. However, its sensitivity to detect NIHL appeared to be low, 51% ( Leensen et al, 2011 , part 1). The aim of the current study is to examine ways to improve Earcheck's sensitivity for (early) NIHL using different forms of noise filtering. The test's stationary broadband masking noise is replaced by six alternatives, including noises that have been temporally modulated, spectrally filtered by high-pass or low-pass filters, and combinations of temporal modulation and spectral filtering. In this multi-centre study, 49 normal-hearing and 49 subjects with different degrees of NIHL participated. Hearing-impaired subjects deviated more clearly from normal performance when executing the test with alternative masking noises, except for the high-pass filtered conditions. Earcheck with low-pass filtered noise made the best distinction between normal hearing and NIHL, without reducing test reliability. The use of this noise condition improved the sensitivity of Earcheck to 95%. The use of low-pass filtered masking noise makes speech-in-noise tests more sensitive to detect NIHL in an early stage
AB - An easily accessible screening test can be valuable in the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). The Dutch National Hearing Foundation developed 'Earcheck', an internet-based speech-in-noise test, presenting CVC-words in stationary broadband noise. However, its sensitivity to detect NIHL appeared to be low, 51% ( Leensen et al, 2011 , part 1). The aim of the current study is to examine ways to improve Earcheck's sensitivity for (early) NIHL using different forms of noise filtering. The test's stationary broadband masking noise is replaced by six alternatives, including noises that have been temporally modulated, spectrally filtered by high-pass or low-pass filters, and combinations of temporal modulation and spectral filtering. In this multi-centre study, 49 normal-hearing and 49 subjects with different degrees of NIHL participated. Hearing-impaired subjects deviated more clearly from normal performance when executing the test with alternative masking noises, except for the high-pass filtered conditions. Earcheck with low-pass filtered noise made the best distinction between normal hearing and NIHL, without reducing test reliability. The use of this noise condition improved the sensitivity of Earcheck to 95%. The use of low-pass filtered masking noise makes speech-in-noise tests more sensitive to detect NIHL in an early stage
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2011.595017
DO - https://doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2011.595017
M3 - Article
C2 - 21970351
SN - 1499-2027
VL - 50
SP - 835
EP - 848
JO - International Journal of Audiology
JF - International Journal of Audiology
IS - 11
ER -