Digits in noise testing in a multilingual sample of Asian adults.
Int J Audiol
; 63(4): 269-274, 2024 Apr.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36847757
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Appropriate speech-in noise assessment is challenging in multilingual populations. This study aimed to assess whether first preferred language affected performance on an English Digits-in-noise (DIN) test in the local Asian multilingual population, controlling for hearing threshold, age, sex, English fluency and educational status. A secondary aim was to determine the association between DIN test scores and hearing thresholds.DESIGN:
English digit-triplets in noise testing and pure-tone audiometry were conducted. Multiple regression analysis was performed with DIN scores and hearing thresholds as dependent variables. Correlation analysis was performed between DIN-SRT and hearing thresholds. STUDY SAMPLE 165 subjects from the Singapore Longitudinal Ageing Study, a population-based longitudinal study of community-dwellers over 55 years of age.RESULTS:
Mean DIN speech reception threshold (DIN-SRT) was -5.7 dB SNR (SD 3.6; range 6.7 to -11.2). Better ear pure tone average and English fluency were significantly associated with DIN-SRT.CONCLUSIONS:
DIN performance was independent of first preferred language in a multilingual ageing Singaporean population after adjusting for age, gender and education. Those with poorer English fluency had a significantly lower DIN-SRT score. The DIN test has the potential to provide a quick, uniform method of testing speech in noise in this multilingual population.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Speech Perception
/
Multilingualism
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adult
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Audiol
Journal subject:
AUDIOLOGIA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Singapur