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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
IMPACT OF BACKGROUND NOISE ON WIDEBAND ABSORBANCE FINDINGS
1
Centre for Hearing Research, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia
2
Audiology Discipline, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article;
Submission date: 2024-12-11
Acceptance date: 2025-02-28
Online publication date: 2025-03-31
Publication date: 2025-03-31
Corresponding author
Joseph Kei
Centre for Hearing Research, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Services Road, 4072, Brisbane, Australia
Centre for Hearing Research, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Services Road, 4072, Brisbane, Australia
J Hear Sci 2025;15(1):9-15
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Measuring wideband absorbance (WBA) in noisy environments can potentially lead to inaccurate results due to noise contamination. However, research investigating the effect of background noise on WBA is scant. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of background noise on WBA results.
Material and methods:
A non-randomised, cross-sectional, repeated measures design was used. Participants were 50 adults who passed otoscopic examination, pure tone audiometry, and tympanometry screening in their right ear. WBA was measured using an Interacoustics Titan immittance device under four broadband noise conditions: quiet (no applied noise), 55 dBA, 65 dBA, and 75 dBA.
Results:
Increasing noise levels were associated with decreasing mean absorbance at 0.25–2.5 kHz with the greatest difference of 0.049 (normalised difference of 7.76%) found between the quiet and 75 dBA noise conditions at 1 kHz. Conversely, increasing noise levels were associated with increasing mean absorbance at high frequencies (4–8 kHz) with the greatest difference of 0.035 (normalised difference of 12.9%) found between the quiet and 75 dBA noise conditions at 5 kHz.
Conclusions:
The present study found statistically significant differences in WBA findings with increasing broadband noise levels of up to 75 dBA. However, the WBA differences were too small to be of clinical significance.
Measuring wideband absorbance (WBA) in noisy environments can potentially lead to inaccurate results due to noise contamination. However, research investigating the effect of background noise on WBA is scant. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of background noise on WBA results.
Material and methods:
A non-randomised, cross-sectional, repeated measures design was used. Participants were 50 adults who passed otoscopic examination, pure tone audiometry, and tympanometry screening in their right ear. WBA was measured using an Interacoustics Titan immittance device under four broadband noise conditions: quiet (no applied noise), 55 dBA, 65 dBA, and 75 dBA.
Results:
Increasing noise levels were associated with decreasing mean absorbance at 0.25–2.5 kHz with the greatest difference of 0.049 (normalised difference of 7.76%) found between the quiet and 75 dBA noise conditions at 1 kHz. Conversely, increasing noise levels were associated with increasing mean absorbance at high frequencies (4–8 kHz) with the greatest difference of 0.035 (normalised difference of 12.9%) found between the quiet and 75 dBA noise conditions at 5 kHz.
Conclusions:
The present study found statistically significant differences in WBA findings with increasing broadband noise levels of up to 75 dBA. However, the WBA differences were too small to be of clinical significance.
FUNDING
This research and article did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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