On Objective Criteria for Hearing Impairment and Hearing Disability

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The relationship between subjective symptoms of hearing disorder and objective criteria of hearing impairment and hearing disability was examined in a group of 77 male subjects (median age 57 yr, range 49-68) suffering from noise-induced permanent hearing loss. Among all subjects, 52% (40/77) reported having a general impression of subjective hearing disability. The average of pure-tone auditory thresholds at 0.5 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 kHz .gtoreq. 20 dB HL [hearing level] used as an objective criterion for hearing impairment and hearing disability appeared to be the more sensitive and reliable of the various criteria used. Based on the definition of hearing handicap, more sophisticated testing than pure-tone auditory thresholds should be taken into account when approving or disapproving hearing disability as a hearing handicap.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: