title: Audiometric screening of a population with intellectual disability.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of pure-tone audiometry (PTA) in hearing screening of a population with mild to profound intellectual disability (ID).
  
  
  METHODS
  PTA was performed at six frequencies at the screening level 20 dB HL. Referral criteria were threshold levels ≥ 25 dB HL at two or more frequencies for one ear or both.
  
  
  METHODS
  1478 participants aged 7-91 years were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1470 (99.5%) people cooperated in screening of which 1325 (90%) could be tested on both ears at all six frequencies. A majority, 987 (66.8%), performed ordinary PTA, 234 (15.8%) conditioned play audiometry, and 249 (16.9%) behavioural observation audiometry. Six hundred and sixty-nine (45%) passed and 809 (55%) failed according to referral criteria. Of those failing, 441 (54.5%) accepted referral to clinical evaluation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTA with slight modifications is applicable for screening of a population with mild to profound intellectual disability. The most challenging and time-consuming activity is to introduce the test procedure in a way that reduces anxiety and establishes trust.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. eva.bm.andersson@telia.com
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arlinger
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hamrin
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019989:Persons with Intellectual Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult