Internet-Based Hearing Assessment During COVID era in Indian Population: Practical and Safe Option

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Otolaryngology
• Public Health

Background:

• Pure tone audiometry (PTA) is the clinical standard for hearing assessment.
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for remote healthcare solutions.
• Access to audiologists is limited in many developing countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate web-based hearing assessment (WBHA) as a screening tool comparable to clinical pure tone audiometry (PTA).
• To assess the feasibility of self-participation in WBHA for deafness screening.

Main Methods:

• Pilot observation comparing WBHA with PTA.
• Multiple trials conducted to assess WBHA reliability, particularly for asymmetrical hearing loss.

Main Results:

• WBHA demonstrated comparability with PTA for assessing the severity of symmetrical hearing loss.
• WBHA results were inconclusive for gross hearing asymmetry, even after multiple attempts.

Conclusions:

• WBHA is a potentially safe and effective model for deafness screening, particularly for symmetrical hearing loss.
• Self-administered WBHA can increase accessibility and reduce transmission risks.
• Further refinement of WBHA is needed to accurately assess asymmetrical hearing loss.