Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 30, 2025
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Effect of Protective Face Coverings on Sentence Recognition in Noise for Cochlear Implant Patients
Teresa G Vos1, Matthew M Dedmon1, Emily Buss1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of talker protective face coverings on sentence recognition in noise for cochlear implant users.
Method:
The AzBio sentences were recorded in three conditions: (a) without any face covering (uncovered), (b) with an N95 mask, or (c) with an N95 mask plus face shield. Target sentences were presented at 60 dB SPL, and the 10-talker masker was presented at 50 dB SPL (10 dB signal-to-noise ratio. Speech recognition for these auditory stimuli was compared across conditions for 21 adult subjects with at least 6 months of cochlear implant (CI) use.
Results:
Significant deterioration in sentence recognition was observed for the N95 plus face shield (Mdn = 27% [IQR: 14%-35%]) compared with the N95 (Mdn = 72% [IQR: 55%-78%]) condition and for the N95 compared to uncovered (Mdn = 86% [IQR: 68%-91%]) condition.
Conclusions:
Talker protective face coverings have a significant influence on speech recognition in noise for CI users. More research is needed to understand the influence of visual cues with protective face coverings that include a plastic component allowing visualization of the talker's face.
Supplemental Material:
https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.19326395.
