title: [Hearing tests in a specialized practice].
abstract: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the quality of examinations performed in ENT-practice as preparation for hearing aid (HA) fitting. The material comprises 113 referrals to an audiological department from the Eastern Danish area including an audiogram. The referrals were evaluated concerning information relevant for HA fitting. A comparison between the pure tone air conduction hearing thresholds measured in the ENT-practice and in the audiological department was also performed. Only one referral contained information about all relevant examinations. Pure tone air conduction thresholds measured in ENT-practice deviated significantly at 250 Hz-4 kHz from the hearing thresholds measured in the audiological department, and indicated poorer hearing at all frequencies. Only 53% of the air conduction hearing thresholds evaluated for the average of 0.5-4 kHz corresponded with the thresholds measured in the audiological department within the repeatability of the test (i.e. +/- 10 dB). In conclusion, the audiometries in the referrals should only be considered as screening.
authors.affiliation: Audiologisk afdeling, H:S Bispebjerg Hospital. bbhaudap@pip.dknet.dk
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parving
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Clement
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000592:standards*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D012017:Referral and Consultation