Self-test web-based pure-tone audiometry: validity evaluation and measurement error analysis.

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Digital Health
• Medical Measurement

Background:

• Self-administered Web-based pure-tone audiometry (WBPTA) offers a potential home-based hearing test method.
• The feasibility of WBPTA depends critically on understanding and minimizing measurement error.
• Accurate hearing threshold determination is essential for effective audiological assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the measurement error associated with home-based WBPTA.
• To identify and analyze the specific factors contributing to this measurement error.
• To evaluate the reliability of WBPTA compared to clinical audiometry.

Main Methods:

• Hearing threshold evaluation involved three series: clinical audiometry, supervised computer-based self-tests, and unsupervised home-based WBPTA.
• The study included 51 participants from an audiology outpatient clinic.
• 37 participants (73%) completed the home-based self-administered tests.

Main Results:

• High correlation (r=0.90) observed between clinical and supervised self-tests with a small average difference (-1.54dB ± 7.88dB).
• Correlation between clinical and home-based WBPTA was also strong (r=0.84) with a similar average difference (-1.35dB ± 10.66dB).
• Key error sources in home-based WBPTA included hearing threshold identification procedure (6.64dB), calibration (6.19dB), and frequency nonlinearity at 250Hz (7.28dB).

Conclusions:

• Web-based pure-tone audiometry is suitable for hearing screening applications.
• Minimizing measurement errors through future method modifications can expand WBPTA's utility.
• Further research can optimize WBPTA for wider clinical and remote audiological use.