Laboratory evaluation of an optimised internet-based speech-in-noise test for occupational high-frequency hearing loss screening: Occupational Earcheck

Abstract

Objective: The “Occupational Earcheck” (OEC) is a Dutch online self-screening speech-in-noise test developed for the detection of occupational high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL). This study evaluates an optimised version of the test and determines the most appropriate masking noise. Design: The original OEC was improved by homogenisation of the speech material, and shortening the test. A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was performed in which the optimised OEC in five alternative masking noise conditions was evaluated. Study sample: The study was conducted on 18 normal-hearing (NH) adults, and 15 middle-aged listeners with HFHL. Results: The OEC in a low-pass (LP) filtered stationary background noise (test version LP 3: with a cut-off frequency of 1.6 kHz, and a noise floor of −12 dB) was the most accurate version tested. The test showed a reasonable sensitivity (93%), and specificity (94%) and test reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient: 0.84, mean within-subject standard deviation: 1.5 dB SNR, slope of psychometric function: 13.1%/dB SNR). Conclusions: The improved OEC, with homogenous word material in a LP filtered noise, appears to be suitable for the discrimination between younger NH listeners and older listeners with HFHL. The appropriateness of the OEC for screening purposes in an occupational setting will be studied further.

Key Words:

• Occupational noise
• high-frequency hearing loss
• hearing screening
• speech-in-noise test
• test accuracy

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. I. de Ronde-Brons and L. Ruhaak, MSc. for performing the audiometric measurements, and Zicht Online (https://zicht.nl/) for implementing and adapting the online tests. We would like to thank K. S. Rhebergen for developing the speech and noise material. This study was funded by the Dutch National Hearing Foundation.

Parts of this article were presented at the following professional meeting: The Second International Meeting on Internet and Audiology. September 2015, Snekkersten, Denmark. Title: Validation and evaluation of the Occupational Earcheck.

Declaration of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.