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Intertester reliability of the acceptable noise level.
Susan Gordon-Hickey1, Elizabeth Adams, Robert Moore
1Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688-002, USA. gordonhickey@usouthal.edu
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|September 21, 2012
Summary
The acceptable noise level (ANL) is a reliable measure for predicting hearing aid success. This study found that ANL measurements are consistent across different testers, ensuring accurate hearing aid fitting.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Hearing Science
- Speech and Hearing Sciences
Background:
- The acceptable noise level (ANL) is crucial for predicting hearing aid success and aids in hearing aid selection and counseling.
- ANL quantifies a listener's tolerance for background noise, a subjective auditory measure.
- Prior research has not evaluated the reliability of ANL measurements across different clinicians or testers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the intertester reliability of the acceptable noise level (ANL) measurement.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive quasi-experimental reliability study was conducted.
- Three testers, familiar with basic audiometry, measured ANL in 25 young adults with normal hearing.
- Testers assessed Most Comfortable Listening Level (MCL) and Background Noise Level (BNL) for all participants.
Main Results:
- Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated significant reliability for MCL, BNL, and ANL across testers.
- One-way ANOVAs showed no significant differences in MCL, BNL, or ANL when measured by different testers.
- These results suggest that ANL, MCL, and BNL measurements are consistent regardless of the tester.
Conclusions:
- Accurate adherence to ANL protocols ensures reliable measurements across various testers, laboratories, and clinics.
- The intertester reliability of ANL facilitates consistent comparisons of measurements made by different individuals.
- Tester variability is not a significant factor contributing to discrepancies in reported mean ANLs in existing literature.
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