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10/13/2017  |   5:30 PM - 7:15 PM   |  East Ballroom at Shalala Student Services Building

BIOSAFETY MATERIALS USED IN AUDIOLOGICAL BASIC ASSESSMENTS:COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE STANDARD DISPOSABLE EARPHONE PROTECTORAND APOLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) FILM

Biosafety Materials Used in Audiological Basic Assessments: Comparative Study between the Standard Disposable Earphone Protector and a Polyvinyl Chloride Film (PVC). Maria Raquel Basilio Speri, Jaciara Fonseca. Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Summary: Objective of the study. Audiologists have to account for cross contamination from harmful pathogens between patients when conducting audiometric evaluations using TDH headphones. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Standards Organization (ISO) and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) published norms and guidelines related to procedures for the cleaning of headphones and the utilization of bio barriers (head phones covers) to prevent such contaminations. This study compares the effects of two of such bio barriers on the results of pure tone thresholds (PTT), speech reception thresholds (SRT) and acoustic reflexes thresholds (ART). The standard Head Phone Protector® and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film were used as the two bio barriers. Methodology: 72 individuals from 18 to 40 years of age with normal hearing were tested in a Speech and Hearing Clinic at a Federal University setting in Brazil. Results: No statistically significant difference was found on the acoustic reflex thresholds using either bio barrier as compared to no barrier over the THD headphones. In the audiometric thresholds and speech reception thresholds, there was a small difference, which was within the 95% confidence interval. Conclusion: The study concluded that either the standard Head Phone Protector® or the PVC cover film when used over the headphones to protect patients from cross contamination from harmful pathogens, do not interfere with the results of the audiometric evaluation. Key Words: Audiology; exposure to biologic pathogenic agents, biological agents, audiometry; audiometric evaluation.

• Biosafety against cross contamination can easily be maintained during mass field audiometric evaluations in remote areas.
• PVC is an unexpansive, readily available alternative to the more expensive headphone covers to prevent contamination.
• PVC does not alter audiometric results above the 95% confidence interval.

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Marilia Pinheiro (Author,Co-Author), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, marilia__pin@hotmail.com;
TBD