title: Application-Based Hearing Screening in the Elderly Population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effects of age-related hearing loss are severe. Early detection is essential for maximum benefit. However, most hearing-impaired adults delay obtaining treatment. Diagnostic hearing testing at an appropriate facility is impractical, and new methods for screening audiometry aim to provide easy access for patients and reliable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of application-based hearing screening in an elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The uHear application was downloaded to an iPad. Application-based hearing screening was performed in a non-soundproofed quiet room, and subsequently all participants underwent full diagnostic audiometry in a soundproof booth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients were recruited and completed both tests. Significant differences were observed between the hearing results obtained with the application and the standard audiogram at all frequencies and in both ears. Following subtraction of a constant factor of 25 dB from the application-based results in order to compensate for ambient noise, no significant differences in pure tone average were found between the 2 methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The uHear application is inaccurate in assessing hearing thresholds for screening in the elderly. However, when site-specifically corrected, the uHear application may be used as a screening tool for hearing loss in an elderly population.
authors.affiliation: The Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Leonid
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Livshitz
authors.affiliation: The Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Reem
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghanayim
authors.affiliation: The Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Carmi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine B, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.|Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farah
authors.affiliation: The Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.|Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Ella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Even-Tov
authors.affiliation: The Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Yaniv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Avraham
authors.affiliation: Research Wing, Ziv Medical Center, Tel-Hai Academic College, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharabi-Nov
authors.affiliation: The Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery Unit, Ziv Medical Center, Safed, Israel peter.g@ziv.health.gov.il.|Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gilbey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063731:Mobile Applications
keywords: elderly; hearing loss; hearing testing; screening audiometry; tablet audiometry