Article: Hearing screening for school children: Comparison of low-cost, computer-based and conventional audiometry

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TitleHearing screening for school children: Comparison of low-cost, computer-based and conventional audiometry
AuthorsMcPherson, B1
Law, MMS1
Wong, MSM1
KeywordsAudiometry
Developing countries
Hearing loss
School screening
Issue Date2010
PublisherBlackwell Publishing Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journals/CCH
CitationChild: Care, Health And Development, 2010, v. 36 n. 3, p. 323-331 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01079.x
AbstractBackground: There is a need to develop affordable but effective audiometric screening equipment, particularly for use in low-income countries. With advances in computer technology, low-cost computer-based audiometer software has been developed. However, the efficacy of computer-based audiometers in hearing screening and diagnostic assessment requires investigation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a low-cost, computer-based audiometric system in a school-based hearing screening programme. Methods: Eighty children were screened using the computer-based audiometer and with a conventional pure tone screening audiometer. Overall refer rates, as well as frequency and age effects on the accuracy of the computer-based audiometer, were considered. Results: There was a significant relationship between the low-cost, computer-based audiometer and a conventional pure tone audiometer when a 40 dBHL refer criterion was used in school hearing screening and when test results at 500 Hz were excluded from analysis. However, background noise effects and software limitations in the computer-based system had major adverse effects on screening performance. Conclusions: The study results and preliminary practical experience with the system suggest that, with further software and hardware improvements, a low-cost, computer-based system may well be feasible for routine school screening in developing countries. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN0305-1862
2011 Impact Factor: 1.201
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.073
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01079.x
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000276489300005
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorMcPherson, B
dc.contributor.authorLaw, MMS
dc.contributor.authorWong, MSM
dc.date.accessioned2010-12-23T08:57:15Z
dc.date.available2010-12-23T08:57:15Z
dc.date.issued2010
dc.description.abstractBackground: There is a need to develop affordable but effective audiometric screening equipment, particularly for use in low-income countries. With advances in computer technology, low-cost computer-based audiometer software has been developed. However, the efficacy of computer-based audiometers in hearing screening and diagnostic assessment requires investigation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a low-cost, computer-based audiometric system in a school-based hearing screening programme. Methods: Eighty children were screened using the computer-based audiometer and with a conventional pure tone screening audiometer. Overall refer rates, as well as frequency and age effects on the accuracy of the computer-based audiometer, were considered. Results: There was a significant relationship between the low-cost, computer-based audiometer and a conventional pure tone audiometer when a 40 dBHL refer criterion was used in school hearing screening and when test results at 500 Hz were excluded from analysis. However, background noise effects and software limitations in the computer-based system had major adverse effects on screening performance. Conclusions: The study results and preliminary practical experience with the system suggest that, with further software and hardware improvements, a low-cost, computer-based system may well be feasible for routine school screening in developing countries. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
dc.description.natureLink_to_subscribed_fulltext
dc.identifier.citationChild: Care, Health And Development, 2010, v. 36 n. 3, p. 323-331 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01079.x
dc.identifier.citeulike7042295
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01079.x
dc.identifier.epage331
dc.identifier.hkuros176440
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000276489300005
dc.identifier.issn0305-1862
2011 Impact Factor: 1.201
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.073
dc.identifier.issue3
dc.identifier.openurl
dc.identifier.pmid20507326
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-77955261047
dc.identifier.spage323
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/130575
dc.identifier.volume36
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherBlackwell Publishing Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journals/CCH
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofChild: Care, Health and Development
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.rightsThe definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com
dc.subjectAudiometry
dc.subjectDeveloping countries
dc.subjectHearing loss
dc.subjectSchool screening
dc.titleHearing screening for school children: Comparison of low-cost, computer-based and conventional audiometry
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong