title: Can Uhear me now? Validation of an iPod-based hearing loss screening test.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the uHear iPod-based application as a test for hearing loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited 100 adult participants through a single otology practice. Patients with otorrhea and cognitive impairment were excluded. All patients completed the uHear test in the clinic and in the sound booth and underwent a standard audiogram by the same audiologist. We compared the results of the uHear test to the standard audiogram.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The uHear was able to correctly diagnose the presence of hearing loss (pure-tone average [PTA] > 40 dB) with a sensitivity of 98% (95% CI = 89-100), a specificity of 82% (95% CI = 75-88), and a positive likelihood ratio of 9 (95% CI = 6.0-16). Compared to the audiogram, the uHear overestimated the PTA among all ears by 14 dB in the clinic and by 8 dB in the sound booth (p < .0001). Compared to the audiogram, the uHear overestimated the PTA among ears with hearing loss by 6 dB in the clinic and by 4 dB in the sound booth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The uHear application is a reasonable screening test to rule out moderate hearing loss (PTA > 40 dB) and and is valid at quantifying the degree of hearing loss in patients known to have abnormal hearing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szudek
authors.forename: Amberley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ostevik
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dziegielewski
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robinson-Anagor
authors.forename: Nahla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gomaa
authors.forename: Bill
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hodgetts
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000295:instrumentation; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D055539:MP3-Player; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D055815:Young Adult