International Journal of Audiology最新文献

Objective: This paper presents the design and structure of an open-access audiological dataset created to support hearing aid algorithm development and model-based audiology. It provides comprehensive perceptual measures for individuals with normal hearing and hearing loss, with and without hearing aids.

Design: The dataset includes pure-tone audiometry, otoscopy, coupler measurements, the Loudness Validation Method (LVM), tone-in-noise detection, categorical loudness scaling, speech recognition tests (Göttingen Sentence Test, GÖSA; Oldenburg Sentence Test, OLSA), listening effort (Adaptive Categorical Listening Effort Scaling, ACALES), and self-reported hearing and functioning (HEAR-COMMAND Tool). OLSA and ACALES were conducted in both common spatial setups and four virtual acoustic scenes, with aided and unaided conditions for hearing aid users. Data are organised according to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable).

Study sample: Seventy-six participants.

Results: The release includes database documentation, measurement details, raw data, metadata, and structured SQL files. Sample outcomes for individuals with moderate hearing loss are reported here for the OLSA, ACALES, GÖSA, LVM, and audiometry.

Conclusions: This dataset enables cross-methodological analysis and provides simulated acoustic scenes for evaluating hearing loss. By combining standardised and novel measures, it offers a baseline resource for model-based audiology research and hearing aid benefit assessment.

Objective: The benefits of aural rehabilitation are well established, and assessing long-term outcomes is strongly recommended. This report presents a long-term follow-up of a randomised controlled trial comparing the impact of incorporating remote synchronous fine-tuning and follow-ups into aural rehabilitation.

Design and study sample: The study included experienced hearing aid users who underwent renewed aural rehabilitation. The control group (n = 49) received standard care with five clinical visits, while the intervention group (n = 46) received both clinical and remote follow-ups, including immediate fine-tuning after hearing-related problems. Outcome measures addressing self-rated hearing difficulties and various aspects of HL were posted to participants in both groups, 6 months and 1 year after completing aural rehabilitation.

Results: Both groups showed significant improvements across all outcome measures at the 6-month and 1-year follow-ups. Notably, at 6 months post-intervention, the intervention group reported significantly greater satisfaction than the control group.

Conclusions: Both standard clinical and combined clinical and remote follow-ups led to sustained reductions in hearing and communication difficulties at 6 months and 1 year post-intervention. These findings suggest that consistent follow-up supports long-term hearing-related functioning and that the mode of delivery (remote vs. in-person) may be less critical for maintaining these outcomes.

Objectives: Farmworkers are at increased risk for noise-induced hearing loss. This scoping review aimed to summarise the evidence on interventions to prevent NIHL among farmworkers and to identify gaps and priorities for future research.

Methods: The review followed Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework and was reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Results: Twenty-three studies published between 1999 and 2023 met the inclusion criteria. Most (88%) were conducted in the United States. The majority employed educational strategies targeting intent to use hearing protection or self-reported use. Although educational approaches were generally effective, interventions that increased access to hearing protection were linked to higher self-reported use. Nearly half of the studies (n = 11) focused solely on individual-level outcomes.

Conclusions: Although most existing NIHL prevention efforts have focused on education, structural approaches appear more promising for sustainable impact.

Objective: This scoping review systematically describes how EMA has been applied to assess auditory experiences among individuals with hearing loss in published research studies.

Design: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The final search was completed on 15 May 2025. Data were synthesised narratively.

Study sample: Forty-nine studies published between 2002 and 2025 were included. Eligible studies included individuals of any age with diagnosed hearing loss using hearing devices or accessing hearing healthcare services.

Results: All studies were conducted in high-income countries. Most participants were adults with hearing loss using hearing devices; one study included paediatric participants. EMA was predominantly administered via smartphones and primarily employed prompted surveys with closed-ended questions over one week. Data logging featured in over half the studies. Study aims varied, with the acoustic environment being the outcome most frequently measured. Compliance rates were generally high; technological challenges were the main barrier to EMA completion.

Conclusions: EMA offers a complementary approach for assessing real-world hearing experiences. Future research should focus on consistent methods, protocol standardisation, cultural adaptation, demographic diversity, and multimodal input to enhance EMA's clinical value.

Objective: This study investigates how adults with hearing aids navigate aural rehabilitation services in Denmark, using Bourdieu's concepts to explore how structural conditions shape help-seeking and service use.

Design and study sample: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 27 adults with hearing aids (9 men, 18 women) and six hearing healthcare professionals. Interviews lasted 30-90 minutes and were held either in person or online.

Results: Although aural rehabilitation services including communication strategy counselling, psychosocial support and auditory training are publicly funded and free of charge, participants reported uneven awareness and access. Two key themes emerged: (1) limited knowledge of available services and their perceived benefits, and (2) unequal distributions of social, and cultural capital shaping participants' ability to navigate the aural rehabilitation system. Help-seeking was influenced by the logic of the field, which determines what counts as valuable capital and who is positioned to make use of it.

Conclusions: Findings highlight systemic inequities in awareness and access to aural rehabilitation among hearing aid users. Strengthening informational outreach and integrating navigation support into hearing care pathways. Addressing structural barriers are essential to ensure equitable access and realise the full potential of publicly funded aural rehabilitation services.

Objective: Variability in cochlear implant (CI) performance has traditionally been linked to pre-operative factors. This study examined the impact of daily CI wear time on post-operative performance in adult recipients.

Design and study sample: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 158 adult CI users comparing pre- and post-operative factors contributing to performance after one year of use. Participants were divided into post hoc groups for analysis: those wearing their CI less than 10 hours per day (n = 46) and those wearing it 10 or more hours per day (n = 112).

Results: Daily CI wear time was correlated with speech perception scores (CNC Words, r = 0.44, AzBio, r = 0.37). Regression analyses found that average wear time and age significantly predicted AzBio scores (R² = 0.21) while wear time and duration of hearing loss predicted CNC Scores (R² = 0.28).

Conclusion: Average daily CI wear time, age at implantation and duration of hearing loss are reliable predictors of speech perception scores. Individuals wearing their CI for at least 10 hours per day scored significantly higher than those wearing it less than 10 hours per day. Data suggest earliest possible implantation and CI use of at least 10 hours per day is beneficial.

Objective: This study developed an adaptive short form of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) using a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to facilitate online tinnitus treatment triage. The full 25-item THI can increase patient burden, highlighting the need for a shorter, effective alternative.

Design: A genetic algorithm (GA) selected THI items in a three-stage scheme (THI-12/8/5). The GA was trained on Dutch THI datasets and tuned to minimise the difference between projected and full THI-25 scores below the mild threshold.

Study sample: The GA was trained on 1,121 questionnaires and validated on a set of 1,181 questionnaires. Cross-validation was performed using a Polish THI-dataset. Participants, aged 18+, originated from two Dutch hospitals and consented to the use of their data for research.

Results: The analysis produced the THI-12/8/5 model, with 12 items identifying "slight" tinnitus and an additional 8 items for "mild" cases. Patients with higher predicted burdens completed the full 25-item THI. The abbreviated questionnaire demonstrated clinically relevant accuracy while reducing the response burden for less severe cases.

Conclusions: The adaptive THI-12/8/5 is a concise and effective self-report tool for online tinnitus treatment triage. It improves efficiency, reduces patient burden, and contributes to the advancement of abbreviated questionnaires using GA models.

Objective: This study aimed to quantify the short-term buildup of olivocochlear suppression of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) in humans by varying the duration of a contralateral suppressor. Specifically, we tested whether suppression magnitude changes with different durations of interrupted wideband noise (2, 4, and 6 seconds) and examined whether efferent suppression strength relates to speech-in-noise performance.

Design: A within-subject design was used to compare TEOAE suppression across three contralateral block durations. Behavioural speech-in-noise measures (WIN test) were obtained to evaluate potential associations between efferent activity and perceptual outcomes.

Study sample: Thirty-one adults (ages 20-29) with clinically normal hearing and no history of otologic or neurologic disorders participated.

Results: Olivocochlear suppression magnitude increased with longer (6s) contralateral noise durations, indicating a short-term buildup of efferent activity over several seconds. No significant ear differences were observed. While suppression strength did not correlate with the 50% speech recognition threshold, stronger suppression was associated with steeper psychometric slopes, suggesting a link between efferent function and perceptual efficiency.

Conclusions: Findings demonstrate a time-dependent buildup of medial olivocochlear activity. The relationship between suppression magnitude and psychometric slope implies that stronger efferent function may contribute to adaptive listening strategies in challenging acoustic environments.