Development of Telscreen: a telephone-based speech-in-noise hearing screening test with a novel masking noise and scoring procedure

In 2006 the National Acoustic Laboratories was commissioned to create a telephone-based hearing screening test. NAL developed 'Telscreen', a speech-in-noise test modelled on the Dutch and UK telephone tests. The first version, Telscreen I, had several novel features: individual scoring of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inInternational journal of audiology Vol. 55; no. 8; p. 463
Main Authors Dillon, Harvey, Beach, Elizabeth Francis, Seymour, John, Carter, Lyndal, Golding, Maryanne
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 02.08.2016
Subjects
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Audiometry, Speech - methods
Female
Hearing Loss - diagnosis
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Noise
Perceptual Masking
Speech Perception
Telephone
Young Adult
Telephone
hearing
screening
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Summary:In 2006 the National Acoustic Laboratories was commissioned to create a telephone-based hearing screening test. NAL developed 'Telscreen', a speech-in-noise test modelled on the Dutch and UK telephone tests. The first version, Telscreen I, had several novel features: individual scoring of digits; individual equalization of digit intelligibility; and accuracy-determined test termination. Evaluation of Telscreen I revealed that it did not discriminate satisfactorily between those with and without hearing impairment. Subsequently Telscreen II, which included a novel sensitized masking noise, was developed. Telscreen I was evaluated by 105 participants (22-86 years), 37% with normal hearing (all thresholds <20 dB HL in the test ear), 63% with hearing impairment (all thresholds >20 dB HL in the test ear). Telscreen II was evaluated by 75 participants (25-86 years), 33% with normal hearing, 67% with hearing impairment. Correlations between Telscreen I results and hearing thresholds, r = 0.57, and hearing disability scores, r = 0.51 were highly significant, but lower than expected. Correlations for Telscreen II were higher: r = 0.77 and 0.65, respectively. Telscreen II was found to have high sensitivity: 90%; and specificity: 90.2%. Telscreen II is an efficient, reliable, and innovative hearing screening test that provides a solid foundation for future tests delivered via mobile and internet technologies.
ISSN:1708-8186
DOI:10.3109/14992027.2016.1172268