Abstract:
BACKGROUND : This study determined the accuracy of pure tone
air conduction (AC) thresholds obtained using a synchronous
telemedicine approach without a sound booth in a rural South
African community. The global need for increased hearing
healthcare currently far exceeds the capacity for delivering these
services, especially in developing countries. A tele-audiology
approach using a portable diagnostic audiometer could provide
the solution, enabling hearing assessments to be conducted remotely
and without a sound booth. MATERIALS AND METHODS :
Hearing thresholds in a sound booth and natural environment
were obtained froman initial sample of 20 adults (age range, 19–
63 years; mean age, 50 – 13 years; 55%female), recruited from
a rural agricultural community. A subgroup of 10 adults (20
ears) volunteered for the telemedicine threshold testing. AC
thresholds (250–8,000 Hz) were determined and subsequently
compared in these environments. Typical threshold variability
was determined using test–retest correspondence as a reference
for the threshold correspondence using a telemedicine mode.
RESULTS : Test–retest threshold correspondence in the booth and
natural environmentswas within – 5 dB in 96.7%and 97.5%of
comparisons, respectively. No significant differences were obtained
in AC hearing thresholds determined in the telemedicine
configuration comparedwith those recorded in the gold standard
booth environment. Threshold correspondence between the telemedicine
compared with booth and natural environments were
within – 5 dB in 82% and 85% of comparisons, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS : The current study demonstrates the validity of
using synchronous telemedicine for conducting hearing assessments
in a remote rural agricultural community without a sound
booth.
