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10/28/2018  |   10:45 AM - 11:30 AM   |  Kramer Lecture Theater 2

Reliability, Accuracy, and Efficiency of Automated Audiometry

Hearing loss is estimated to be the most prevalent disabling condition affecting approximately 10% of the global population. Approximately 420 million people live with a disabling hearing loss worldwide. Unfortunately, the number of hearing healthcare professionals globally is not sufficient to provide services to meet the needs of the masses. For example, the majority of African countries do not have audiology services available. As a result, various reports have highlighted the importance and need to develop tele-audiology services with integrated test automation to increase accessibility to the masses. Automated healthcare services refer to a procedure conducted without requiring the necessary healthcare professional to be present. In situations where audiologists are limited, this approach may ensure that services are provided to the masses. A study investigated the reliability, accuracy, and time efficiency of automated hearing assessment using a computer-based telemedicine-compliant audiometer, known as the KUDUwave. Thirty normal-hearing subjects and eight hearing-impaired subjects were tested with pure-tone air conduction audiometry, in a manual and automated configuration in a counterbalanced manner. With the normal-hearing group, pure tone testing was repeated to determine test-retest reliability. Results: Manual audiometry test-retest correspondence was 5 dB or less in 88% of thresholds compared to 91% for automated audiometry. Thresholds for automated audiometry did not differ significantly from manual audiometry with 87% of thresholds in the normal-hearing group and 97% in the hearing impaired group, corresponding within 5 dB or less of each other. The largest overall average absolute difference across frequencies was 3.6 – 3.9 dB for the normal-hearing group and 3.3 – 2.4 for the hearing-impaired group. Automated audiometry provides a reliable, accurate, and time-efficient way of hearing assessment that offers the potential to be utilized in underserved areas where hearing health professionals are unavailable.

• Describe the evolution of audiometry.
• Describe the reliability and accuracy of automated audiometry.
• Describe the use of automated audiometry in the field of audiology.

Presentation:
18607_9797HlologeloRamatsoma.pdf

Handouts:
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Hlologelo Ramatsoma (POC,Primary Presenter,Author), eMoyo, hlolo@emoyo.net;
Hlologelo Ramatsoma is a clinical, research & support Audiologist at eMoyo. He is involved in many parts of the business, from consulting to R&D to supporting and training customers. He earned his BSc in Audiology from the University of Cape Town. Before starting at eMoyo, Hlologelo worked in a state hospital as a clinical audiologist, specializing in ototoxicity monitoring. After a successful community service working for a state hospital, Hlologelo moved into the corporate world, where he worked for a hearing aid company as a product specialist and training audiologist. If not travelling, Hlologelo is passionate about involvement in feminist movements.