Integrated speech audiometry: objective and subjective performance of elderly listeners

This study was conducted to assess the ecological validity of the speech audiometry protocol recommended by Punch and Rakerd (2019) when implemented in older adults with hearing impairment. That protocol measures a listener's speech recognition threshold (SRT), most comfortable loudness level for speech (MCL), and uncomfortable loudness level for speech (UCL) in an integrated format that utilises single spondaic words as the stimulus set for all tests.

Stimulus presentation and response collection were fully automated, test times were tracked electronically, and a short questionnaire was administered to assess subjective reactions to the test procedures.

The study participants were 12 older adults with bilaterally symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss.

SRT measurements for both ears agreed well with the participants' two-frequency pure tone averages, and MCL and UCL measurements agreed well with previously reported values for individuals with similar degrees of sensorineural hearing loss. The average time to complete bilateral speech audiometric testing was 13.1 minutes. Participants' subjective reactions to the integrated protocol were highly positive.

This study demonstrates that older listeners with sensorineural hearing loss can produce clinically acceptable speech audiometric results when testing is administered in an automated sequence prescribed by the integrated protocol.