Vidya Ramkumar1, C S Vanaja2, James W Hall3,4, K Selvakumar5, Roopa Nagarajan6. 1. a Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences , Sri Ramachandra University , Chennai , India. 2. b Department of Audiology & Speech Language Pathology , Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University , Pune , India. 3. c Department of Audiology , Nova Southeastern University , St. Augustine , FL , USA. 4. d Department of Communication Pathology , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa. 5. e Department of Neurosurgery , Sri Ramachandra University , Chennai , India , and. 6. f Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences , Sri Ramachandra University , Chennai , India.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the validity of DPOAE screening conducted by village health workers (VHWs) in a rural community. Real-time click evoked tele-auditory brainstem response (tele-ABR) was used as the gold standard to establish validity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was utilised to compare the results of screening by VHWs to those obtained via tele-ABR. Study samples: One hundred and nineteen subjects (0 to 5 years) were selected randomly from a sample of 2880 infants and young children who received DPOAE screening by VHWs. METHOD: Real time tele-ABR was conducted by using satellite or broadband internet connectivity at the village. An audiologist located at the tertiary care hospital conducted tele-ABR testing through a remote computing paradigm. Tele-ABR was recorded using standard recording parameters recommended for infants and young children. Wave morphology, repeatability and peak latency data were used for ABR analysis. RESULTS: Tele-ABR and DPOAE findings were compared for 197 ears. The sensitivity of DPOAE screening conducted by the VHW was 75%, and specificity was 91%. The negative and positive predictive values were 98.8% and 27.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The validity of DPOAE screening conducted by trained VHW was acceptable. This study supports the engagement of grass-root workers in community-based hearing health care provision.
OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the validity of DPOAE screening conducted by village health workers (VHWs) in a rural community. Real-time click evoked tele-auditory brainstem response (tele-ABR) was used as the gold standard to establish validity. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was utilised to compare the results of screening by VHWs to those obtained via tele-ABR. Study samples: One hundred and nineteen subjects (0 to 5 years) were selected randomly from a sample of 2880 infants and young children who received DPOAE screening by VHWs. METHOD: Real time tele-ABR was conducted by using satellite or broadband internet connectivity at the village. An audiologist located at the tertiary care hospital conducted tele-ABR testing through a remote computing paradigm. Tele-ABR was recorded using standard recording parameters recommended for infants and young children. Wave morphology, repeatability and peak latency data were used for ABR analysis. RESULTS: Tele-ABR and DPOAE findings were compared for 197 ears. The sensitivity of DPOAE screening conducted by the VHW was 75%, and specificity was 91%. The negative and positive predictive values were 98.8% and 27.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The validity of DPOAE screening conducted by trained VHW was acceptable. This study supports the engagement of grass-root workers in community-based hearing health care provision.
Authors: H Thai-Van; D Bakhos; D Bouccara; N Loundon; M Marx; T Mom; I Mosnier; S Roman; C Villerabel; C Vincent; F Venail Journal: Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis Date: 2020-10-21 Impact factor: 2.665