The user-operated audiometry (UAud) project aims at introducing an automated system for user-operated audiometric testing into everyday clinical practice. Here, we focus on the Audible Contrast Threshold (ACT) test, which has been proposed as a language-independent alternative to aided speech-in-noise tests....
User-operated audible contrast sensitivity tests show promise for automating parts of audiometric screening, but clinicians should await further validation before replacing standard clinical tests with self-administered versions.
Validated self-operated hearing tests could dramatically expand access to audiometric screening and reduce clinic burden, a pressing need given global hearing healthcare capacity gaps.
- 01The study evaluated user-operated audible contrast sensitivity tests across multiple dimensions of performance.
- 02Audible contrast sensitivity measures how well a person distinguishes speech from background noise.
- 03Goal is to integrate automated, self-administered testing into routine clinical hearing healthcare.
- 04Multi-dimensional evaluation approach assesses usability, reliability, and clinical utility simultaneously.
- 05Findings could support teleaudiology and remote screening workflows.
User-operated audible contrast sensitivity tests can be evaluated for utility in automated audiometric testing in routine clinical practice.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42441667
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000975.
- Journal
- PLOS Digital Health
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Users undergoing audiometric testing in hearing healthcare settings
- Intervention
- User-operated audible contrast sensitivity test (self-administered audiometric screening)
- Comparator
- Standard clinical audiometric procedures
Primary outcomes
Test usability; Reliability of self-administered results; Clinical utility for routine hearing healthcare