title: A review of the perceptual effects of hearing loss for frequencies above 3 kHz.
abstract: Hearing loss caused by exposure to intense sounds usually has its greatest effects on audiometric thresholds at 4 and 6 kHz. However, in several countries compensation for occupational noise-induced hearing loss is calculated using the average of audiometric thresholds for selected frequencies up to 3 kHz, based on the implicit assumption that hearing loss for frequencies above 3 kHz has no material adverse consequences. This paper assesses whether this assumption is correct.
  
  
  
  Studies are reviewed that evaluate the role of hearing for frequencies above 3 kHz.
  
  
  
  Several studies show that frequencies above 3 kHz are important for the perception of speech, especially when background sounds are present. Hearing at high frequencies is also important for sound localization, especially for resolving front-back confusions.
  
  
  
  Hearing for frequencies above 3 kHz is important for the ability to understand speech in background sounds and for the ability to localize sounds. The audiometric threshold at 4 kHz and perhaps 6 kHz should be taken into account when assessing hearing in a medico-legal context.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Experimental Psychology , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK.
authors.forename: Brian C J
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D006309:Hearing; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013067:Speech Perception
keywords: Hearing loss; high frequencies; noise exposure; sound localization; speech perception