![]() ![]() However, administering the most widely available hearing tests often requires costly audiometric booths to reduce the background noise. Another common clinical hearing test is the auditory brainstem responses test, in which the integrity of the neural pathway is investigated by measuring the electrophysiological responses to an acoustic stimulus delivered either monaurally or binaurally. ![]() The pure-tone test, for example, is the most commonly used test in auditory clinics that determines the person’s hearing ability by listening to tones at different frequencies. Numerous hearing tests are currently deployed in hearing clinics to evaluate the integrity of the auditory system, assess hearing ability, and detect the degree of existing hearing loss. Thus, there is an emerging need to develop and validate accurate and highly sensitive hearing screening instruments and tests that are accessible with high fidelity, to help ensure the detection of hearing impairment at early stages to facilitate timely intervention. It has been reported that the time gap between the initial onset of hearing impairment and the actual seeking for rehabilitation interventions for people with hearing problems is long, typically 10 years. Despite the high prevalence of hearing impairments, deployment of diagnostic and therapeutic hearing healthcare is sparse. For instance, people with hearing problems are highly susceptible to depression compared to people with normal hearing. Moreover, hearing impairments have an indirect impact on the individual’s social, occupational, educational, and psychological well-being. Societies with low socioeconomic status and poor education often do not have the same access to specialized healthcare services as those with quality education and higher incomes, which in turn could significantly delay the diagnosis and treatment of hearing impairment. In addition, approximately 344 million sufferers of hearing loss (80% of total cases) reside in low- and middle-income countries, as reported by the World Health Organization. With over 430 million cases worldwide, hearing loss is one of the most critical global health issues that must be addressed. The proposed Arabic word-in-noise screening tool has the potential to be used effectively to screen for deteriorated speech perception abilities, particularly in low-resource settings. ![]() ![]() The percent-correct scores ranged from 100% to 54.17% for the white background noise and 91.57% to 50% for the multi-talker babble background noise. The results revealed a significant difference in the thresholds between the two types of background noises. Moreover, a comparison between two different background noises was explored (multi-talker babble noise and white noise). Thus, In the current study, a mobile and cost-effective Arabic speech-in-noise test was developed and tested on 30 normal-hearing subjects, and their ability to perceive words-in-noise was evaluated. Hence, individuals with compromised socioeconomic status do not have proper access to healthcare. Additionally, access to specialized healthcare facilities is associated with socioeconomic status. However, hospitals and auditory clinics have a shortage of reliable Arabic versions of speech-in-noise tests. Early diagnosis of hearing deficits helps health professionals to plan for the most appropriate management. Speech-in-noise tests are used to assess the ability of the human auditory system to perceive speech in a noisy environment. ![]()
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