1. Test-Retest repeatability of automated threshold audiometry in Nicaraguan schoolchildren.
- Author
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Bessen SY, Magro IL, Alvarez KM, Cowan DR, Peñalba D, Fellows A, Gonzalez-Quiroz M, Rieke C, Buckey JC, Niemczak C, and Saunders JE
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, Reproducibility of Results, Audiometry, Pure-Tone methods, Auditory Threshold physiology, Audiometry, Noise
- Abstract
Objective: Automated threshold audiometry (ATA) could increase access to paediatric hearing assessment in low- and middle-income countries, but few studies have evaluated test-retest repeatability of ATA in children. This study aims to analyse test-retest repeatability of ATA and to identify factors that affect the reliability of this method., Design: ATA was performed twice in a cohort of Nicaraguan schoolchildren. During testing, the proportion of responses occurring in the absence of a stimulus was measured by calculating a stimulus response false positive rate (SRFP). Absolute test-retest repeatability was determined between the two trials, as well as the impact of age, gender, ambient noise, head circumference, and SRFP on these results., Study Sample: 807 children were randomly selected from 35 schools in northern Nicaragua., Results: Across all frequencies, the absolute value of the difference between measurements was 5.5 ± 7.8 dB. 89.6% of test-retest differences were within 10 dB. Intra-class correlation coefficients between the two measurements showed that lower SRFP was associated with improved repeatability. No effect of age, gender, or ambient noise was found., Conclusions: ATA produced moderate test-retest repeatability in Nicaraguan schoolchildren. Participant testing behaviours, such as delayed or otherwise inappropriate response patterns, significantly impacts the repeatability of these measurements.
- Published
- 2023
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