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Accuracy and Reliability of Smartphone Self-Test Audiometry in Community Clinics in Low Income Settings: A
Josefin Sandström1, DeWet Swanepoel2, Claude Laurent2,3
1Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Unit of Family Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
The Annals of Otology, Rhinology, and Laryngology
|January 23, 2020
Summary
Smartphone audiometry offers accurate hearing tests for adults in low-income community clinics. This mobile health solution improves accessibility to essential hearing healthcare services globally.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Mobile Health Technology
- Global Health
Background:
- Global hearing healthcare access is limited.
- Tele-audiology and mobile technologies are potential solutions.
- Addressing hearing loss requires innovative approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate smartphone self-test audiometry accuracy in adults.
- To assess reliability in low-income community clinic settings.
- To compare smartphone results with standard audiometry.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, intra-individual, repeated measurements design.
- 63 adult participants in Tshwane, South Africa.
- Smartphone air conduction thresholds compared to reference audiometry.
Main Results:
- Mean difference between methods was -2.2 dB HL.
- 80.1% agreement within 10 dB HL.
- High sensitivity (90.6%) and specificity (94.2%) for hearing loss >40 dB HL.
Conclusions:
- Smartphone self-test audiometry is accurate and reliable.
- Valid for adults in low-income community clinics.
- Supports mobile health in audiology.
