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Can Uhear me now? Validation of an iPod-based hearing loss screening test
Jacek Szudek1, Amberley Ostevik, Peter Dziegielewski
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
Objective:
To evaluate the uHear iPod-based application as a test for hearing loss.
Methods:
We recruited 100 adult participants through a single otology practice. Patients with otorrhea and cognitive impairment were excluded. All patients completed the uHear test in the clinic and in the sound booth and underwent a standard audiogram by the same audiologist. We compared the results of the uHear test to the standard audiogram.
Results:
The uHear was able to correctly diagnose the presence of hearing loss (pure-tone average [PTA] > 40 dB) with a sensitivity of 98% (95% CI = 89-100), a specificity of 82% (95% CI = 75-88), and a positive likelihood ratio of 9 (95% CI = 6.0-16). Compared to the audiogram, the uHear overestimated the PTA among all ears by 14 dB in the clinic and by 8 dB in the sound booth (p < .0001). Compared to the audiogram, the uHear overestimated the PTA among ears with hearing loss by 6 dB in the clinic and by 4 dB in the sound booth.
Conclusions:
The uHear application is a reasonable screening test to rule out moderate hearing loss (PTA > 40 dB) and and is valid at quantifying the degree of hearing loss in patients known to have abnormal hearing.
