Audiometric, Perceptual and Subjective Cognitive Assessment of Hearing Loss in Adults with Hearing-Related Complaints

Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) does not fully capture functional hearing difficulties. This study examined relationships between audiometric thresholds, self-reported hearing quality (SSQ12), and cognitive screening in patients with auditory complaints, as well as the association of other factors such as age and noise exposure with these measures.

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

Routine audiometric thresholds should be supplemented with validated self-report measures like the SSQ12 and cognitive screening, as pure-tone audiometry alone does not adequately characterize the full impact of hearing difficulty in adults.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

Highlights the multi-dimensional nature of hearing-related complaints and argues for a broader, patient-centered assessment framework beyond pure-tone thresholds in routine audiology care.

✦ Key Points ✦

01Pure-tone audiometry (standard tone-based hearing test) alone was insufficient to capture patients' full hearing difficulties.
02The SSQ12 self-report questionnaire provided additional information about real-life hearing quality not seen on the audiogram.
03Cognitive assessment revealed relationships between hearing loss and thinking/memory function.
04Adults presenting with hearing complaints showed varied profiles across audiometric, perceptual, and cognitive measures.
05Results argue for a multi-measure approach to hearing assessment in clinical practice.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

Pure-tone audiometry alone underrepresents the perceptual and cognitive burden of hearing loss in adults with hearing-related complaints.

studysupported

Self-reported hearing quality (SSQ12) captures dimensions of hearing difficulty not reflected in audiometric thresholds.

studysupported

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42930348
DOI: 10.3390/audiolres16050150.
Journal: Audiology Research
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 2b
Population: Adults presenting with hearing-related complaints
Intervention: Multi-measure hearing assessment including audiometry, SSQ12 self-report, and subjective cognitive assessment
Comparator: Pure-tone audiometry alone

Primary outcomes

Relationship between audiometric thresholds and SSQ12 self-report scores; Relationship between hearing loss measures and cognitive assessment outcomes

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