Home Hearing Test: Within-Subjects Threshold Variability.
Robert H Margolis, Gene Bratt, M Patrick Feeney and 2 others
PMID 29356703WHAT IT FOUND
The same ear gave similar hearing thresholds when the Home Hearing Test was repeated, and the repeated scores were not found to differ, including on home computers.
This shows measurement consistency, not a treatment benefit.
Key findings
01In both studies, test and retest thresholds were not statistically different.
02In the VA study, ninety-two percent of test-retest differences were 5 dB or less.
03In the NCRAR study, 93.5% of test-retest differences were 5 dB or less.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The VA analysis included only 26 subjects and 52 ears, and data from two subjects were lost. The VA subjects selected and placed their own earphones and were not in a controlled quiet room, while the NCRAR subjects had audiologist placement and a quiet room. The main analysis looked at the 1000-Hz retest, not every frequency on the audiogram. The study measured test-retest consistency, not whether the test finds the right hearing diagnosis or helps patients. The built-in accuracy estimate rated some tests Fair or Poor. Future users may take the test in less optimal conditions that could affect variability.
Declared interests
The article lists National Institutes of Health and U.S. Government research support. No author conflict-of-interest declaration is included in the supplied text. The Home Hearing Test is distributed by Etymotic Research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that the Home Hearing Test is accurate for diagnosis or that it improves hearing care. It only checked whether repeated thresholds were similar, and some tests were rated Fair or Poor.