Scholarlink

Introduction <p>Hearing loss is a significant global health concern, affecting 15% of the population and creating substantial social and economic burdens. Pure tone audiometry (PTA), the gold standard for hearing evaluation, is often inaccessible in resource-limited settings due to its reliance on trained personnel and soundproof facilities. Smartphone-based audiometry offers a portable, cost-effective alternative for large-scale screening. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of the <i>Smartphone based Hearing Test App</i> compared to PTA under real-world outpatient conditions.</p> Methodology <p>A prospective observational study was conducted with 50 participants (100 ears) aged 16–65&#xa0;years at a tertiary care hospital. PTA was performed in a soundproof room, while the <i>Smartphone based Hearing Test App</i> was used in an outpatient setting to mimic real-world conditions. Air conduction thresholds were measured at 500&#xa0;Hz, 1000&#xa0;Hz, 2000&#xa0;Hz, and 4000&#xa0;Hz. Sensitivity, specificity, mean threshold differences, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to evaluate the app’s diagnostic performance.</p> Results <p>The <i>Smartphone based Hearing Test App</i> achieved a sensitivity of 69.3% and specificity of 100% for detecting hearing loss &gt; 25&#xa0;dB, with sensitivity improving to 90% for thresholds &gt; 40&#xa0;dB. The app systematically underestimated thresholds, with mean differences ranging from 4.8&#xa0;dB at 500&#xa0;Hz to 7.3&#xa0;dB at 4000&#xa0;Hz. The ROC curve yielded an AUC of 0.8482, indicating excellent diagnostic accuracy.</p> Conclusion <p>The <i>Smartphone based Hearing Test App</i> shows promise as a reliable screening tool for moderate-to-severe hearing loss, with scalability and affordability for resource-limited settings.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Smartphone-Based Audiometry: A Feasible Tool for Hearing Loss Screening

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年6月13日

查看全文
  • Sanjay Kumar,
  • Angshuman Dutta,
  • Shazia Khan,
  • Ayon Gupta,
  • Jha Shyamal Shivanand

摘要

Introduction

Hearing loss is a significant global health concern, affecting 15% of the population and creating substantial social and economic burdens. Pure tone audiometry (PTA), the gold standard for hearing evaluation, is often inaccessible in resource-limited settings due to its reliance on trained personnel and soundproof facilities. Smartphone-based audiometry offers a portable, cost-effective alternative for large-scale screening. This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy and feasibility of the Smartphone based Hearing Test App compared to PTA under real-world outpatient conditions.

Methodology

A prospective observational study was conducted with 50 participants (100 ears) aged 16–65 years at a tertiary care hospital. PTA was performed in a soundproof room, while the Smartphone based Hearing Test App was used in an outpatient setting to mimic real-world conditions. Air conduction thresholds were measured at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 4000 Hz. Sensitivity, specificity, mean threshold differences, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were used to evaluate the app’s diagnostic performance.

Results

The Smartphone based Hearing Test App achieved a sensitivity of 69.3% and specificity of 100% for detecting hearing loss > 25 dB, with sensitivity improving to 90% for thresholds > 40 dB. The app systematically underestimated thresholds, with mean differences ranging from 4.8 dB at 500 Hz to 7.3 dB at 4000 Hz. The ROC curve yielded an AUC of 0.8482, indicating excellent diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusion

The Smartphone based Hearing Test App shows promise as a reliable screening tool for moderate-to-severe hearing loss, with scalability and affordability for resource-limited settings.