https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4702-7951
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Abstract
Objective
Appropriate speech-in noise assessment is challenging in multilingual populations. This study aimed to assess whether first preferred language affected performance on an English Digits-in-noise (DIN) test in the local Asian multilingual population, controlling for hearing threshold, age, sex, English fluency and educational status. A secondary aim was to determine the association between DIN test scores and hearing thresholds.
Design
English digit-triplets in noise testing and pure-tone audiometry were conducted. Multiple regression analysis was performed with DIN scores and hearing thresholds as dependent variables. Correlation analysis was performed between DIN-SRT and hearing thresholds.
Study sample
165 subjects from the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study, a population-based longitudinal study of community-dwellers over 55 years of age.
Results
Mean DIN speech reception threshold (DIN-SRT) was −5.7 dB SNR (SD 3.6; range 6.7 to −11.2). Better ear pure tone average and English fluency were significantly associated with DIN-SRT.
Conclusions
DIN performance was independent of first preferred language in a multilingual ageing Singaporean population after adjusting for age, gender and education. Those with poorer English fluency had a significantly lower DIN-SRT score. The DIN test has the potential to provide a quick, uniform method of testing speech in noise in this multilingual population.
Ethical approval
The study was approved by the National Healthcare Group Domain Specific Review Board (NHG DSRB Ref: 2016/00962).
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all participants
Geolocation information
Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
Data not available due to ethical restrictions.