Speech-in-noise (SIN) testing can be beneficial for both assessment and treatment of hearing loss in adults. Previous survey studies have suggested that SIN testing is underutilized among U.S. audiologists, but there are limited data on attitudes, facilitators, and barriers to SIN testing. The purpose of this study was to characterize SIN testing practice patterns for adults through a comprehensive survey.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
If this survey confirms ongoing underutilization of speech-in-noise testing, audiologists should critically evaluate whether their current practice includes routine speech-in-noise assessment for adults, as it directly informs hearing aid fitting and counseling.
Widespread underuse of speech-in-noise tests means that many adults with hearing difficulty may be incompletely assessed, potentially leading to suboptimal hearing aid fittings and unmet communication needs.
- 01Nationally surveys U.S. audiologists on their speech-in-noise (SIN) testing habits for adult patients.
- 02Prior literature indicates SIN testing is underutilized despite clear clinical benefits.
- 03Data can benchmark current practice and identify barriers to SIN test adoption.
- 04Published in the American Journal of Audiology (2026).
- 05Findings have direct implications for audiology continuing education and clinical guidelines.
Speech-in-noise testing is underutilized by U.S. audiologists despite evidence of its clinical benefits for hearing loss assessment and treatment.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42735379
- DOI
- 10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00332.
- Journal
- American Journal of Audiology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- U.S. audiologists in clinical practice serving adult patients
- Intervention
- Survey of speech-in-noise testing practice patterns
Primary outcomes
Prevalence and patterns of speech-in-noise test utilization among U.S. audiologists; Barriers and facilitators to speech-in-noise testing in clinical practice