Accuracy of the mobile application-based audiometry for screening hearing loss

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Mobile Health Technology
• Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

Background:

• Hearing loss is a significant public health issue.
• Conventional audiometry is the standard for hearing assessment.
• Mobile health applications offer potential for accessible hearing screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the accuracy of a mobile application against conventional audiometry for hearing loss screening.
• To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the mobile application.
• To assess the agreement between mobile app and conventional audiometry measurements.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 200 participants aged 18-65.
• Comparison of pure tone thresholds (PTT) measured by a mobile app on an iPad versus conventional audiometry.
• Analysis using paired t-test and Bland-Altman plots for agreement and accuracy assessment.

Main Results:

• The mobile application achieved 81.5% overall accuracy in identifying hearing loss.
• Strong correlation and high sensitivity/specificity were found at 4, 6, and 8 kHz.
• Systematic and random errors were noted, with improved sensitivity post-correction.

Conclusions:

• The mobile application shows promise for screening high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss.
• Limitations exist at lower frequencies, requiring further application development.
• The app has potential as a supplementary tool for hearing loss detection.