Effects of Age on Speech-in-Noise Identification: Subjective Ratings of Hearing Difficulties and Encoding of Fundamental Frequency in Older Adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Numerous studies have indicated deterioration of speech perception in noisy conditions among the elderly even those with normal hearing capabilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age on the speech-in-noise identification by speech-in-noise (SIN) test, subjective ratings of hearing difficulties by speech, spatial, and qualities of hearing scale (SSQ) questionnaire and encoding of fundamental frequency (F0) by Speech auditory brainstem response (ABR) in the elderly and comparing the results with young people. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The present study was conducted on 32 elderly people aged over 60 years old (17 male and 15 female) with the mean age of 68.9 (standard deviation=6.33) possessing normal peripheral hearing and 32 young subjects (16 male and 16 female) aged 18-25 years old. RESULTS: Findings showed that the score of SIN test is lower among the elderly people as compared with young people in signal-to-noise ratios of 0 and -10 based on Iranian version of SSQ questionnaire (p < 0.001). The range of F0 amplitude in the elderly people is also lower than young people (p < 0.001) in Speech ABR. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that speech processing in older people is deteriorated comparing with young people regardless of their normal peripheral auditory thresholds. This decrease will result in weaker perception and improper segregation of speech from other competing sources.

prevalence of using personal music player and listening habits in Iranian medical students

Background: Exposure to loud music from sources such as portable music players [PMP], especially among adolescents, can lead to noise-induced hearing loss. The aims of this study are as follows: 1] investigate the prevalence of headphone use in Iranian University students by assessing their behavior, 2] determine the type of headphones used, and 3] ascertain the type of music player used

Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 250 students from Hamadan University of medical sciences and health services were randomly selected to fill out a questionnaire

Results: Overall, 91.2% of students were found to use headphones, 10.4% of which used headphones more than 1 hour a day, and 52% of them used volume setting higher than three fourths of the output capacity. The most common music player was a mobile phone, and the most common headphone type was the inserted type. Tinnitus was reported among 34.4% of users following the use of personal music player

Conclusion: The use of personal music players amongst students was found to be very high in the study setting