Reliability of Hearing Abnormality Screening in Samutsakorn Students by Portable Audiometry

Abstract

          Objective : To evaluate reliability of hearing screening by portable audiometry

          Method : In this descriptive comparative study, 1088 students in Grade 1-6 from 5 schools in Samutsakorn hospital were examed for hearing abnormality screening by portable audiometry at the school. Second step, we examed with standard audiometry and ENT. Doctor in Samutsakorn Hospital. All investigators and students didn’t know the outcomes from each other until the last step was performed.

          Results : Sensitivity of screening portable audiometry is about 0.37, positive predictive ratio 0.40, likeIihood ratio 15.76. The outcome showed low reliability of sensitive of this screening test, low predictive value individually, but acceptable prediction by group screening.

          Conclusion : We didn’t accept the sensitivity and predictive value of portable screening audiogram.  In the future, we’ll further findout more reliability situation for audiometric exam or other methods for hearing abnormality screening such as OAE., tympanogram.