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Clinical utility of smartphone-based audiometry for early hearing loss detection in HIV-positive children: A
Mukovhe Phanguphangu1, Andrew J Ross
1Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; and, Department of Rehabilitative Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Fort Hare, East London. chad.phanguphangu@alumni.uct.ac.za.
Insights
Smartphone audiometry is a feasible tool for early hearing loss detection in children with HIV/AIDS. This accessible method allows for accurate self-screening, improving hearing healthcare access for these vulnerable children.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Public Health
- Digital Health
Background:
- Paediatric HIV/AIDS is frequently associated with hearing loss (HL), necessitating early detection.
- Limited access to audiologists and high equipment costs hinder hearing healthcare for children living with HIV/AIDS (CLWHA).
- Alternative, accessible solutions for early HL detection in CLWHA are crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of smartphone-based audiometry for self-administered hearing screening.
- To assess the accuracy and reliability of this digital health tool in CLWHA.
Main Methods:
- A feasibility study involving 27 children aged 6-12 years living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
- Participants independently completed hearing screening using a smartphone application.
- Key endpoints included sensitivity, specificity, and test-retest reliability.
Main Results:
- Self-administered screening demonstrated high sensitivity (82%) and specificity (94%).
- Positive and negative predictive values were 90% and 88%, respectively.
- Strong test-retest reliability (r = 0.97) was observed.
Conclusions:
- Children living with HIV/AIDS (6-12 years) can accurately use smartphone audiometry for self-screening.
- Smartphone-based audiometry offers a viable method for serial hearing monitoring in at-risk paediatric populations.
- This technology can improve access to essential hearing healthcare services for CLWHA.
Background:
Paediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) often manifests with hearing loss (HL). Given the impact of HL, early detection is critical to prevent its associated effects. Yet, the majority of children living with HIV/AIDS (CLWHA) cannot access hearing healthcare services because of the scarcity of audiologists and expensive costs of purchasing screening equipment. Alternative solutions for early detection of HL are therefore necessary.
Aim:
The overall aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of using self-administered smartphone-based audiometry for early HL detection amongst CLWHA.
Setting:
This study was conducted at the paediatrics department of a state hospital in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa.
Methods:
This was a feasibility study conducted amongst twenty-seven (27) CLWHA who were in the age group of 6-12 years. The participants self-administered hearing screening tests using a smartphone-based audiometric test. The primary end-points of this study were to determine the sensitivity, specificity and test-retest reliability of self-administered hearing screening.
Results:
The sensitivity and specificity for self-administered screening were 82% and 94%, respectively, with positive and negative predictive values of 90% and 88%, respectively. Moreover, a strong positive test-retest reliability (r = 0.97) was obtained when participants self-administered the screening test.
Conclusion:
Six- to 12-year-old CLWHA were able to accurately self-administer hearing screening tests using smartphone-based audiometry. These findings show that self-administered smartphone audiometry can be used for serial hearing monitoring in at-risk paediatric patients.
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