Phone positioning influence in high-frequency audiometry.
Research considers high frequency tonal audiometry as a tool for the early diagnosis of auditory alterations derived from etiological agents.


OBJECTIVE
to investigate possible differences in high frequency audiometry of individuals with normal hearing, based on the person who places the earphone.


METHODS
clinical and experimental study with 55 undergraduate students from a country side branch of the São Paulo State University, with normal hearing, underwent two tests each; for the first, the evaluator positioned the earphone on the participant; for the second one, the participant did it by him/herself. An AC40 audiometer calibrated to emit pure tone was used in the frequencies of 10, 12.5, and 16 kHz.


RESULTS
The kappa(k) coefficient statistical analysis was used to verify the agreement between the two ways of earphone positioning of earphone, bearing a [FORMULA: SEE TEXT]0.70 kappa value as a criterion. Results attained for both ears were below this criterion, with k average of 0.50.


CONCLUSIONS
results indicate a risk of compromising the exam reliability when the patient him/herself adjusts phone to his/her own ear.


CONCLUSIONS
when performing audiometric assessment, this variable must be considered in order to attain reliable results.
Crepaldi de Almeida
Elizabeth Oliveira
EO
Federal Council of Speech and Hearing Therapy, SP, Brazil. nelson_almeida@uol.com.br
Nishimori
Aparecida Yumi
AY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results