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Smartphone-based audiometric test for screening hearing loss in the elderly

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hearing loss is widespread among the elderly. One of the main obstacles to rehabilitation is identifying individuals with potentially correctable hearing loss. Smartphone-based hearing tests can be administered at home, thus greatly facilitating access to screening. This study evaluates the use of a smartphone application as a screening tool for hearing loss in individuals aged ≥65 years. Twenty-six subjects aged 84.4 ± 6.73 years (mean ± SD) were recruited. Pure-tone audiometry was administered by both a smartphone application (uHear for iPhone, v1.0 Unitron, Canada) and a standard portable audiometer by trained personnel. Participants also completed a questionnaire on their hearing. Pure-tone thresholds were compared between the two testing modalities and correlated with the questionnaire results. The cutoff point for failing screening tests was a pure tone average of 40 dB for the frequencies 250–6,000 Hz. The smartphone application’s pure tone thresholds were higher (poorer hearing) than the audiometric thresholds, with a significant difference in all frequencies but 2,000 Hz. The application and the audiometric values were in agreement for 24 subjects (92 %). The application had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 60 % for screening compared with the audiometer. The questionnaire was significantly less accurate, having assigned a passing score to three participants who failed both the application and audiometric tests. While a smartphone application may not be able to accurately determine the level of hearing impairment, it is useful as a highly accessible portable audiometer substitute for screening for hearing loss in elderly populations.

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Acknowledgments

Esther Eshkol, the institutional medical and scientific copyeditor, is thanked for editorial assistance.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

      Sara Abu-Ghanem, Ophir Handzel & Lior Ness

    2. The Cochlear Implant Program, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, 6 Weizmann St., Tel-Aviv, 6423906, Israel

      Ophir Handzel

    3. Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel

      Miri Ben-Artzi-Blima, Karin Fait-Ghelbendorf & Mordechai Himmelfarb

    4. Institute of Audiology, Speech and Swallowing Disorders, Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

      Mordechai Himmelfarb

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    1. Sara Abu-Ghanem
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    2. Ophir Handzel
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    Corresponding author

    Correspondence to Ophir Handzel.

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    S. Abu-Ghanem and O. Handzel contributed equally.

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    Abu-Ghanem, S., Handzel, O., Ness, L. et al. Smartphone-based audiometric test for screening hearing loss in the elderly. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 273, 333–339 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3533-9

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3533-9

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