Validating self-reporting of hearing-related symptoms against pure-tone audiometry, otoacoustic emission, and speech audiometry

Abstract

Objective: To validate self-reported hearing-related symptoms among personnel exposed to moderately high occupational noise levels at an obstetrics clinic. Design: Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for questionnaire items assessing hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, poor hearing, difficulty perceiving speech, and sound-induced auditory fatigue. Hearing disorder was diagnosed by pure-tone audiometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and HINT (Hearing In Noise Test). Study sample: Fifty-five female obstetrics personnel aged 22–63 participated; including 26 subjects reporting hearing loss, poor hearing, tinnitus, or sound sensitivity, and 29 randomly selected subjects who did not report these symptoms. Results: The questionnaire item assessing sound-induced auditory fatigue had the best combination of sensitivity ≥85% (95% CIs 56 to 100%) and specificity ≥70% (95% CIs 55 to 84%) for hearing disorder diagnosed by audiometry or otoacoustic emission. Of those reporting sound-induced auditory fatigue 71% were predicted to have disorder diagnosed by otoacoustic emission. Participants reporting any hearing-related symptom had slightly worse measured hearing. Conclusions: We suggest including sound-induced auditory fatigue in questionnaires for identification of hearing disorder among healthcare personnel, though larger studies are warranted for precise estimates of diagnostic performance. Also, more specific and accurate hearing tests are needed to diagnose mild hearing disorder.

Key Words:

• Validation
• sensitivity
• questionnaire
• hearing-related symptoms
• audiometry
• otoacoustic emission
• speech audiometry
• sound-induced auditory fatigue

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Lisbeth Birkhed and Johan Magnusson at the Occupational Healthcare Unit Hälsan & Arbetslivet for assistance in measurements, participating personnel at the obstetrics care unit and especially Gullan Ahlgren for administrative support. This study was funded by grants from The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (2009-1741) and the Swedish organization AFA Insurance (090161).

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest. All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf (available on request from the corresponding author) and declare they received no support from any organization for the submitted work; have no financial relationships with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; and have no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

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