Self-Reported Hearing Aid Use in Russian Adults According to a National Survey.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is a significant public problem affecting 466 million people worldwide. Hearing-impaired persons benefit from the use of hearing aids, but the need is unmet in 85% of the global population. For the Russian population, no data have been found on this issue. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of hearing aid use in the Russian adult population. METHODS: data on hearing aid use and self-reported trouble with hearing were obtained from the open access database of the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey-Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE) for the years 1994-2021. RESULTS: the prevalence of hearing aid use in Russian adults ranged from 4.3 per 1000 (95% CI 3.2-5.9) to 8.8 per 1000 (95% CI 7.5-10.2). The mean rate of self-reported trouble with hearing was 22.2% (SD 0.8); of them, 2.2% (SD 0.2) used hearing aids, and it strongly correlated with older age (r = 0.889) and more severe hearing issues (r = 0.938). CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence of hearing aid use in Russian adults is very low with unmet needs in 98% of the cases of self-reported trouble with hearing, which is worse than in other populational studies and global estimates. The RLMS-HSE can be used for the monitoring of the national hearing health care system.

Audiological Evidence of Frequent Hereditary Mild, Moderate and Moderate-to-Severe Hearing Loss.

Congenital and early onset bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is mainly caused by mutations in numerous genes. The introduction of universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) has increased the number of infants with mild, moderate, and moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) detected in the first year of life. We aimed to evaluate the audiological features in patients with mild, moderate, and moderate-to-severe SNHL according to genotype. Audiological and genetic data were analyzed for 251 patients and their relatives with congenital bilateral mild, moderate, and moderate-to-severe SNHL. Hearing loss severity, audiogram profile, interaural symmetry, and dynamics of hearing thresholds were analyzed. In this case, 165 patients had GJB2 gene mutations, 30 patients were identified with STRC mutations, and 16 patients had pathogenic or likely pathogenic USH2A mutations. The presence of at least one GJB2 non-truncating variant in genotype led to less severe hearing impairment. The flat and gently sloping audiogram profiles were mostly revealed in all groups. The follow-up revealed the stability of hearing thresholds. GJB2, STRC, and USH2A pathogenic variants were detected in most patients in our cohort and were congenital in most cases.

Application of Signals with Rippled Spectra as a Training Approach for Speech Intelligibility Improvements in Cochlear Implant Users.

In cochlear implant (CI) users, the discrimination of sound signals with rippled spectra correlates with speech discrimination. We suggest that rippled-spectrum signals could be a basis for training CI users to improve speech intelligibility. Fifteen CI users participated in the study. Ten of them used the software for training (the experimental group), and five did not (the control group). Software based on the phase reversal discrimination of rippled spectra was used. The experimental group was also tested for speech discrimination using phonetic material based on polysyllabic balanced speech material. An improvement in the discrimination of the rippled spectrum was observed in all CI users from the experimental group. There was no significant improvement in the control group. The result of the speech discrimination test showed that the percentage of recognized words increased after training in nine out of ten CI users. For five CI users who participated in the training program, the data on word recognition were also obtained earlier (at least eight months before training). The increase in the percentage of recognized words was greater after training compared to the period before training. The results allow the suggestion that sound signals with rippled spectra could be used not only for testing rehabilitation results after CI but also for training CI users to discriminate sounds with complex spectra.

Clinical validation of the Russian Matrix test - effect of hearing loss, age, and noise level.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Russian matrix sentence test (RUMatrix) for the assessment of speech recognition in quiet and in noise in clinical praxis. The effect of hearing impairment, age, and masking-noise level on speech recognition was examined. DESIGN: All participants underwent pure tone audiometry, a monosyllabic speech test in quiet, and speech recognition measurements with RUMatrix in quiet (SRTQ) and in noise (SRTN). STUDY SAMPLE: One hundred and forty-two listeners divided into four groups: 1. Young normal-hearing listeners, 2. Older normal-hearing listeners, 3. Young hearing-impaired listeners, and 4. Older hearing-impaired listeners. RESULTS: Significant differences between groups of listeners were found in the SRTQ and SRTN. A strong correlation between hearing threshold and SRTQ (R2=0.88, p < 0.001) indicates a strong link between speech recognition in quiet and audibility. The pure-tone average explained less variance in SRTN (R2=0.67, p < 0.001), pointing out an additional influence of suprathreshold distortion. A high test sensitivity of 0.99 was found for SRTN and SRTQ. The monosyllabic test had a low sensitivity (0.21), indicating that the test is not suitable for separating normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. CONCLUSIONS: RuMatrix is a reliable speech recognition assessment tool with a high sensitivity and validity for the main aspects of hearing impairment.

Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening Facing Globally Growing Numbers of People Suffering from Disabling Hearing Loss.

Recent prevalence estimates indicate that in 2015 almost half a billion people-about 6.8% of the world's population-had disabling hearing loss and that prevalence numbers will further increase. The World Health Organization (WHO) currently estimates that at least 34 million children under the age of 15 have disabling hearing loss. Based on a 2012 WHO report, approximately 7.5 million of these children were under the age of 5 years. This review article focuses on the importance of high-quality newborn and infant hearing screening (NIHS) programs as one strategy to ameliorate disabling hearing loss as a global health problem. Two WHO resolutions regarding the prevention of deafness and hearing loss have been adopted urging member states to implement screening programs for early identification of ear diseases and hearing loss in babies and young children. The effectiveness of these programs depends on factors such as governmental mandates and guidance; presence of a national committee with involvement of professionals, industries, and stakeholders; central oversight of hearing screening; clear definition of target parameters; presence of tracking systems with bi-directional data transfer from screening devices to screening centers; accessibility of pediatric audiological services and rehabilitation programs; using telemedicine where connectivity is available; and the opportunity for case discussions in professional excellence circles with boards of experts. There is a lack of such programs in middle- and low-income countries, but even in high-income countries there is potential for improvement. Facing the still growing burden of disabling hearing loss around the world, there is a need to invest in national, high-quality NIHS programs.

Evaluation of new technology for intraoperative evoked compound action potential threshold measurements.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether new technology for intraoperative evoked compound action potential (ECAP) threshold measurements-the CR120 Intraoperative Remote Assistant device-is comparable to the existing Custom Sound(®) clinical system, as well as assess test-retest accuracy of the systems. DESIGN: Within subject, repeated measures comparative design. STUDY SAMPLE: ECAP data were collected from 81 pediatric subjects (41 females and 40 males). RESULTS: The average ECAP threshold measurement time for the Custom Sound system was 6.2 minutes (SD = 1.0) versus 4.8 minutes (SD = 0.7) for the CR120 device. ECAP thresholds measured with Custom Sound and the CR120 device had an average Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient for all electrodes (N = 1724) of 0.92, p < 0.01; an average mean absolute difference of 6 CLs (SD = 6); and a 95% confidence interval of - 1 to 1 CLs. The test-retest results for Custom Sound and the CR120 device are also included. CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in the measurement time for ECAP thresholds was noted with the CR120 device. Furthermore, ECAP thresholds measured with the CR120 device are equivalent to Custom Sound within a clinically acceptable range.

Effects of UMTS cellular phones on human hearing: results of the European project EMFnEAR.

Abstract The European project EMFnEAR was undertaken to assess potential changes in human auditory function after a short-term exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation produced by UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) mobile phones. Participants were healthy young adults with no hearing or ear disorders. Auditory function was assessed immediately before and after exposure to radiofrequency radiation, and only the exposed ear was tested. Tests for the assessment of auditory function were hearing threshold level (HTL), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), contralateral suppression of transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (CAS effect on TEOAE), and auditory evoked potentials (AEP). The exposure consisted of speech at a typical conversational level delivered via an earphone to one ear, plus genuine or sham RF-radiation exposure produced by a commercial phone controlled by a personal computer. Results from 134 participants did not show any consistent pattern of effects on the auditory system after a 20-min UMTS exposure at the maximum output of the phone with 69 mW/kg SAR in the cochlea region in a double blind comparison of genuine and sham exposure. An isolated effect on the hearing threshold at high frequencies was identified, but this was statistically nonsignificant after correction for multiple comparisons. It is concluded that UMTS short-term exposure at the maximum output of consumer mobile phones does not cause measurable immediate effects on the human auditory system.

Effects of GSM cellular phones on human hearing: the European project "GUARD".

The European multicenter project named GUARD involved nine centers and aimed to assess potential changes in auditory function as a consequence of exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produced by GSM cellular phones. Participants were healthy young adults without any evidence of hearing or ear disorders. Auditory function was assessed immediately before and after exposure to EMFs, and only the exposed ear was tested. The procedure was conducted twice in a double blinded design, once with a genuine EMF exposure and once with a sham exposure (at least 24 h apart). Tests for assessment of auditory function were hearing threshold level (HTL), transient otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR). The exposure consisted of speech at a typical conversational level delivered via an earphone to one ear, plus genuine or sham EMF exposure. The EMF exposure used the output of a software-controlled consumer cellular phone at full power for 10 min. A system of phone positioning that allowed participants to freely move their heads without affecting exposure was used. Analysis of the data showed there were no effects of exposure to GSM mobile phone signals on the main measures of the status of the auditory system.

Psychometrically equivalent Russian speech audiometry materials by male and female talkers.

Despite the large number of individuals who speak Russian, only a limited number of high-quality speech audiometry materials are available in a standard dialect of Russian. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate speech audiometry materials that can be used to measure word recognition and SRT testing in quiet for native speakers of Russian. Familiar monosyllabic and bisyllabic words were digitally recorded by male and female talkers of Russian and subsequently evaluated by native listeners. Using logistic regression, psychometric functions were then calculated for all words. Selected monosyllabic words were digitally adjusted to create word recognition lists which are relatively homogeneous with respect to audibility and psychometric slope. Speech reception threshold materials were developed by selecting twenty-five bisyllabic words with relatively steep psychometric function slopes (12.1%/dB and 9.9 %/dB) and digitally equating their intensity to match the mean PTA of the native listeners. Digital recordings of the resulting psychometrically equivalent speech audiometry materials are available on compact disc.