scholarly journals The effects of N95 mask and face shield on speech perception among healthcare workers in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic scenario

2020 ◽  
Vol 134 (10) ◽  
pp. 895-898
Author(s):  
S V Bandaru ◽  
A M Augustine ◽  
A Lepcha ◽  
S Sebastian ◽  
M Gowri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Pure Tone Audiometry ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Speech Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Reception

AbstractObjectiveThe current circumstances of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic necessitate the use of personal protective equipment in hospitals. N95 masks and face shields are being used as personal protective equipment to protect from aerosol-related spread of infection. Personal protective equipment, however, hampers communication. This study aimed to assess the effect of using an N95 mask and face shield on speech perception among healthcare workers with normal hearing.MethodsTwenty healthcare workers were recruited for the study. Pure tone audiometry was conducted to ensure normal hearing. Speech reception threshold and speech discrimination score were obtained, first without using personal protective equipment and then repeated with the audiologist wearing an N95 mask and face shield.ResultsA statistically significant increase in speech reception threshold (mean of 12.4 dB) and decrease in speech discrimination score (mean of 7 per cent) was found while using the personal protective equipment.ConclusionUse of personal protective equipment significantly impairs speech perception. Alternate communication strategies should be developed for effective communication.

scholarly journals Words in noise audiometry in adult subjects with normal hearing

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
Widayat Alviandi ◽  
Jenny Bashiruddin ◽  
Brastho Bramantyo ◽  
Farisa Rizky
Keyword(s):  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Pure Tone Audiometry ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Recognition Threshold ◽  
Speech Audiometry ◽  
Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Speech Discrimination Score ◽  
Noise Test

Background: Patients with hearing disturbance will generally undergo pure tone audiometry andspeech audiometry in a quiet room, but those examinations cannot evaluate the ability to understand speech in daily environment with a noisy background. Words in noise test will provide valuable informationregarding patient’s hearing problem in noise. Purpose: To evaluate the hearing threshold using wordsin noise test in adults with normal hearing. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in CiptoMangunkusumo Hospital from January to April 2017. All subjects who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusioncriteria underwent pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and words in noise test. Results: A total of71 individuals with normal hearing were recruited for this study. Words in noise test showed the medianvalue of 67 dB and 100 dB for Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) 50% and Speech DiscriminationScore (SDS) 100%, respectively. The SRT 50% and SDS 100% were significantly higher in the age group40–60 years compared to the age group 18–39 years. There was also a statistically significant differencebetween males and females at SRT 50% assessed by words in noise audiometry. Conclusion: Wordsin noise test showed a statistically significant difference in SRT 50% and SDS 100% between two agegroups, but no difference was found between genders. The result of this study can be used as a referencefor SRT and SDS values of speech audiometry test in noise.Keywords: words in noise, speech audiometry, speech recognition threshold, speech discrimination score ABSTRAKLatar belakang: Pasien dengan gangguan pendengaran umumnya menjalani pemeriksaanaudiometri nada murni dan audiometri tutur di ruangan yang sunyi, tetapi pemeriksaan ini tidakdapat menggambarkan kemampuan pemahaman wicara di lingkungan sehari-hari yang ramai. Testutur dalam bising dapat mengevaluasi masalah pendengaran pasien dalam keadaan bising. Tujuan:Untuk mengevaluasi ambang pendengaran menggunakan tes tutur dalam bising pada orang dewasadengan pendengaran normal. Metode: Penelitian potong lintang ini dilakukan di Rumah Sakit CiptoMangunkusumo dari Januari hingga April 2017. Semua subjek yang memenuhi kriteria inklusi daneksklusi menjalani pemeriksaan audiometri nada murni, audiometri tutur, dan tes tutur dalam bising.Hasil: Sebanyak 71 orang dengan pendengaran normal diikutsertakan dalam penelitian ini. Tes tuturdalam bising menunjukkan nilai median masing-masing 67 dB dan 100 dB pada Speech RecognitionThreshold (SRT) 50% dan Speech Discrimination Score (SDS) 100%. SRT 50% dan SDS 100% secarasignifikan lebih tinggi pada kelompok usia 40–60 tahun dibandingkan dengan kelompok usia 18–39 tahun. Hasil pemeriksaan tes tutur dalam bising menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan antara laki-laki dan wanita pada nilai SRT 50%. Kesimpulan: Tes tutur dalam bising menunjukkan perbedaan yang bermakna secara statistik pada SRT 50% dan SDS 100% antara dua kelompok umur, tetapi tidak ada perbedaan signifikan diantara jenis kelamin. Hasil penelitian ini dapat digunakan sebagai acuan untuk nilai SRT dan SDS pada pemeriksaan audiometri tutur dalam bising.

A Comparison of the Auditec of St. Louis Cassette Recordings of NU-6 and CID W-22 on a Normal-Hearing Population

1977 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall C. Beattie ◽  
Brad J. Edgerton ◽  
Dion V. Svihovec
Keyword(s):  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Speech Discrimination Tests ◽  
Speech Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Reception ◽  
Speech Reception Thresholds ◽  
Better Than

Articulation functions were generated on a normal-hearing population with the Auditec of St. Louis cassette recordings of the NU-6 and CID W-22 speech discrimination tests. Both tests were similar and yielded slopes of about 4.4%/dB. Each gave a speech discrimination score of approximately 95% at 32 dB SL. Speech reception thresholds were obtained with monitored live voice and yielded good testretest consistency. Speech thresholds were about 9 dB better than the ANSI (1969) specifications.

scholarly journals Influence of temporal resolution skills in speech discrimination abilities of older subjects

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-62
Author(s):  
P.G. Nair ◽  
B.M. Basheer
Keyword(s):  
Detection Threshold ◽  
Gap Detection ◽  
Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Percentage Score ◽  
Speech Discrimination Score ◽  
Total Percentage ◽  
Speech Reception ◽  
Sono Stati ◽  
Older Subjects

Un alterata capacità di risoluzione temporale del sistema uditivo può essere uno dei fattori alla base della ridotta discriminazione verbale nei soggetti anziani. Ben pochi studi in passato hanno approfondito questo aspetto in modo sistematico. Il presente studio si è pertanto posto come obiettivi: 1) Stabilire una normativa in una popolazione di anziani in un contesto culturale Indiano per il test Gaps in Noise (GIN); 2) Stabilire la relazione fra la discriminazione verbale e le capacità di risoluzione temporale in una popolazione di individui anziani normo udenti. Sono stati arruolati complessivamente trenta pazienti anziani normo udenti (età: 55-75 anni; età media: 59,86 ± 4,11 anni). La valutazione audiologica si è composta di una timpanometria, audiometria tonale e vocale (Speech Reception Threshold-SRT, Speech Discrimination Score-SDS) e il GIN. I risultati del presente studio ci hanno permesso di determinare per la popolazione studiata un GDT (Gap Detection Threshold) medio di 8,7 millisecondi (SD : 3,38) per l’orecchio destro e di 8,83 millisecondi (SD : 2,86) per l’orecchio sinistro. Il TPS (Total Percentage Score) medio per l’orecchio destro è stato del 47% (SD : 11,92) e per l’orecchio sinistro del 45% (SD : 11,29). I nostri risultati suggeriscono che le abilità di discriminazione temporale siano peggiori nei soggetti anziani rispetto ai soggetti giovani e adulti. Né il TPS né il GDT hanno mostrato differenze interaurali significative. Il GDT ha presentato una correlazione inversa con le performance di discriminazione verbale. Il TPS ha mostrato una correlazione diretta con l’SDS. Il presente studio dimostra in modo chiaro la relazione che intercorre fra la discriminazione verbale e le abilità di risoluzione temporale. Il presente database di dati rappresenta una risorsa per la valutazione delle abilità di risoluzione temporale in soggetti anziani affetti da ipoacusia. Riteniamo che tutti i soggetti anziani vadano sottoposti a una valutazione delle abilità di risoluzione temporale nel corso di una valutazione dell’udito, indipendentemente dal fatto che siano o meno affetti da alterazioni uditive.

Stability of Hearing over an Eight-Year Period following Wire-Vein Stapedectomy for Otosclerosis

1973 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis A. Sooy ◽  
Elmer Owens ◽  
Elizabeth S. Neufeld
Keyword(s):  
Postoperative Complications ◽  
Pure Tone ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Discrimination ◽  
Speech Discrimination Score ◽  
Speech Reception ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Hearing Test ◽  
The Stability

This study was undertaken to determine the stability of hearing in patients over an eight-year period following a wire-vein graft stapedectomy procedure for otosclerosis. The method was to compare the four-month and eight-year postoperative hearing test results for a population of 76 patients who had undergone this procedure. No significant decrements in pure-tone thresholds were shown over the eight years for the speech frequencies (500, 1000, 2000 Hz). Decrements of approximately 0.5 dB and 1 dB per year over the eight-year period occurred for 4000 and 8000 Hz, respectively. These decrements did not seem to be associated with aging. A slight decrement of 2.8 percentage points in mean speech discrimination score was shown over the eight-year period, while no change occurred in mean speech reception threshold. There were no serious postoperative complications for this group of patients. These results indicated good stability of hearing over the eight years.

scholarly journals Stress and Associated Factors among Frontline Healthcare Workers in the COVID-19 Epicenter of Da Nang City, Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7378
Author(s):  
Nhan Phuc Thanh Nguyen ◽  
Duong Dinh Le ◽  
Robert Colebunders ◽  
Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo ◽  
Trung Dinh Tran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Stress Component ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Laboratory Workers ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
Second Wave

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in the COVID-19 response have a higher risk of experiencing psychosocial distress amidst the pandemic. Between July and September 2020, a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic appeared in Vietnam with Da Nang city being the epicenter. During the outbreak, HCWs were quarantined within the health facilities in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19 to their respective communities. Using the stress component of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), we assessed the level of stress among HCWs in Da Nang city. Between 30 August and 15 September 2020, 746 frontline HCWs were recruited to fill in an online structured questionnaire. Overall, 44.6% of participants experienced increased stress and 18.9% severe or extremely severe stress. In multivariable analysis, increased stress was associated with longer working hours (OR = 1.012; 95% CI: 1.004–1.019), working in health facilities providing COVID-19 treatment (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04–2.39), having direct contact with patients or their bio-samples (physicians, nurses and laboratory workers; OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02–1.99), low confidence in the available personal protective equipment (OR = 0.846; 95% CI: 0.744–0.962) and low knowledge on COVID-19 prevention and treatment (OR = 0.853; 95% CI: 0.739–0.986). In conclusion, many frontline HCWs experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang city. Reducing working time, providing essential personal protective equipment and enhancing the knowledge on COVID-19 will help to reduce this stress. Moreover, extra support is needed for HCWs who are directly exposed to COVID-19 patients.

scholarly journals Fit Testing Retrofitted Full-Face Snorkel Masks as a Form of Novel Personal Protective Equipment During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Stephanie Toigo ◽  
Michel Jacques ◽  
Tarek Razek ◽  
Ewa Rajda ◽  
Sidney Omelon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Passing Rate ◽  
Fit Testing ◽  
Full Face ◽  
Medical Grade

ABSTRACT Objective: Bottlenecks in the personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain have contributed to shortages of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in fractures in the functionality of healthcare systems. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the effectiveness of retrofitted commercial snorkel masks as an alternative respirator for healthcare workers during infectious disease outbreaks. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed, analyzing qualitative and quantitative fit test results of the retrofitted Aria Ocean Reef® full-face snorkeling mask on healthcare workers at the McGill University Health Centre between April-June 2020. Historical fit test results, using medical-grade respirators, for healthcare workers were also analyzed. Results: During the study period, 71 participants volunteered for fit testing, 60.6% of which were nurses. The overall fit test passing rate using the snorkel mask was 83.1%. Of the participants who did not previously pass fit testing with medical-grade respirators, 80% achieved a passing fit test with the snorkel respirator. Conclusions: The results suggest that this novel respirator may be an effective and feasible alternative solution to address PPE shortages, while still providing healthcare workers with ample protection. Additional robust testing will be required to ensure that respirator fit is maintained, after numerous rounds of disinfection.

scholarly journals Acoustic voice characteristics with and without wearing a facemask

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Duy Duong Nguyen ◽  
Patricia McCabe ◽  
Donna Thomas ◽  
Alison Purcell ◽  
Maree Doble ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Mask Condition ◽  
Connected Speech ◽  
Significant Attenuation ◽  
Cepstral Peak Prominence ◽  
Vocal Intensity ◽  
Significant Change ◽  
The Voice

AbstractFacemasks are essential for healthcare workers but characteristics of the voice whilst wearing this personal protective equipment are not well understood. In the present study, we compared acoustic voice measures in recordings of sixteen adults producing standardised vocal tasks with and without wearing either a surgical mask or a KN95 mask. Data were analysed for mean spectral levels at 0–1 kHz and 1–8 kHz regions, an energy ratio between 0–1 and 1–8 kHz (LH1000), harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS), and vocal intensity. In connected speech there was significant attenuation of mean spectral level at 1–8 kHz region and there was no significant change in this measure at 0–1 kHz. Mean spectral levels of vowel did not change significantly in mask-wearing conditions. LH1000 for connected speech significantly increased whilst wearing either a surgical mask or KN95 mask but no significant change in this measure was found for vowel. HNR was higher in the mask-wearing conditions than the no-mask condition. CPPS and vocal intensity did not change in mask-wearing conditions. These findings implied an attenuation effects of wearing these types of masks on the voice spectra with surgical mask showing less impact than the KN95.

scholarly journals Adherence to personal protective equipment use among healthcare workers caring for confirmed COVID-19 and alleged non-COVID-19 patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meike M. Neuwirth ◽  
Frauke Mattner ◽  
Robin Otchwemah
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Care Workers

AbstractAdherence observations of health care workers (HCW) revealed deficiencies in the use of recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) among HCW caring in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards during the first period of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in a university hospital in Germany. The adherence to wearing surgical face or FFP2-masks and disinfecting hands prior to donning and after doffing the PPE was significantly higher in COVID-19 wards However, there was no total adherence of 100% in COVID-19 wards.

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