Abstract
Hearing loss is a significant public health issue, ranking as one of the most prevalent causes of disability, globally. Conventional audiometry evaluates the frequency range of 250-8000 Hz as these frequencies are essential for understanding speech, however evaluating extended high frequency (EHF; 10 – 16 kHz) thresholds could enable earlier detection of hearing loss compared to standard frequencies (.25 – 8 kHz). The rise of automated smartphone audiometry solutions offers a way to lower the cost of hearing healthcare and improve its accessibility. This study assessed the validity and reliability of the hearTest® smartphone-based EHF audiometry application using an Android tablet and calibrated supra-aural headphones.
A repeated-measures within-subject design was utilized to evaluate the hearing thresholds measured by hearTest® and compare them to traditional EHF audiometry using a clinical audiometer in a sound-treated booth. The study included 30 student musicians (mean age of 23 years; 56.7% males, 43.3% females). No statistically significant (p < .05) average differences were found between the smartphone and conventional thresholds in 16 out of 20 frequencies tested. Most thresholds (60%) varied by 5 dB or less, and all tested thresholds varied by less than 10 dB on average. Strong positive correlations were observed in same-day and separate-day test-retest reliability.
The hearTest® application demonstrated reliability and validity within a clinically acceptable margin of error. This study's findings support the notion that smartphone audiometry is a cost-effective and reliable method for measuring hearing thresholds.