An Initial Validation of Community-Based Air-Conduction Audiometry in Adults With Simulated Hearing Impairment Using a New Web App, DigiBel: Validation Study

Approximately 80% of primary school children in the United States and Europe experience glue ear, which may impair hearing at a critical time for speech acquisition and social development. A web-based app, DigiBel, has been developed primarily to identify individuals with conductive hearing impairme...

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Veröffentlicht in:JMIR formative research 2024-01, Vol.8, p.e51770
Hauptverfasser: Sienko, Anna, Thirunavukarasu, Arun James, Kuzmich, Tanya, Allen, Louise
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Approximately 80% of primary school children in the United States and Europe experience glue ear, which may impair hearing at a critical time for speech acquisition and social development. A web-based app, DigiBel, has been developed primarily to identify individuals with conductive hearing impairment who may benefit from the temporary use of bone-conduction assistive technology in the community. This preliminary study aims to determine the screening accuracy and usability of DigiBel self-assessed air-conduction (AC) pure tone audiometry in adult volunteers with simulated hearing impairment prior to formal clinical validation. Healthy adults, each with 1 ear plugged, underwent automated AC pure tone audiometry (reference test) and DigiBel audiometry in quiet community settings. Threshold measurements were compared across 6 tone frequencies and DigiBel test-retest reliability was calculated. The accuracy of DigiBel for detecting more than 20 dB of hearing impairment was assessed. A total of 30 adults (30 unplugged ears and 30 plugged ears) completed both audiometry tests. DigiBel had 100% sensitivity (95% CI 87.23-100) and 72.73% (95% CI 54.48-86.70) specificity in detecting hearing impairment. Threshold mean bias was insignificant except at 4000 and 8000 Hz where a small but significant overestimation of threshold measurement was identified. All 24 participants completing feedback rated the DigiBel test as good or excellent and 21 (88%) participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would be able to do the test at home without help. This study supports the potential use of DigiBel as a screening tool for hearing impairment. The findings will be used to improve the software further prior to undertaking a formal clinical trial of AC and bone-conduction audiometry in individuals with suspected conductive hearing impairment.
ISSN:2561-326X
2561-326X
DOI:10.2196/51770