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Challenging Times for Cochlear Implant Users - Effect of Face Masks on Audiovisual Speech Understanding during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Sönnichsen, Rasmus; Tó, Gerard Llorach; Hohmann, Volker; Hochmuth, Sabine; Radeloff, Andreas.
  • Sönnichsen R; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
  • Tó GL; Auditory Signal Processing and Hearing Devices, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
  • Hohmann V; Auditory Signal Processing and Hearing Devices, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
  • Hochmuth S; Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
  • Radeloff A; Cluster of Excellence "Hearing 4 All", University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany.
Trends Hear ; 26: 23312165221134378, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2139084
ABSTRACT
Unhindered auditory and visual signals are essential for a sufficient speech understanding of cochlear implant (CI) users. Face masks are an important hygiene measurement against the COVID-19 virus but disrupt these signals. This study determinates the extent and the mechanisms of speech intelligibility alteration in CI users caused by different face masks. The audiovisual German matrix sentence test was used to determine speech reception thresholds (SRT) in noise in different conditions (audiovisual, audio-only, speechreading and masked audiovisual using two different face masks). Thirty-seven CI users and ten normal-hearing listeners (NH) were included. CI users showed a reduction in speech reception threshold of 5.0 dB due to surgical mask and 6.5 dB due to FFP2 mask compared to the audiovisual condition without mask. The greater proportion of reduction in SRT by mask could be accounted for by the loss of the visual signal (up to 4.5 dB). The effect of each mask was significantly larger in CI users who exclusively hear with their CI (surgical 7.8 dB, p = 0.005 and FFP2 8.7 dB, p = 0.01) compared to NH (surgical 3.8 dB and FFP2 5.1 dB). This study confirms that CI users who exclusively rely on their CI for hearing are particularly susceptible. Therefore, visual signals should be made accessible for communication whenever possible, especially when communicating with CI users.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Speech Perception / Cochlear Implants / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Trends Hear Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 23312165221134378

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Speech Perception / Cochlear Implants / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: Trends Hear Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 23312165221134378