Determining the Pure Tone Frequencies to be Used in Identification Audiometry

¹ Michigan Department of Public Health, Lansing

Guidelines published by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (1975) recommended procedures for identification audiometry that were different from procedures used in Michigan. The difference involved the test frequency used in conjunction with 1000 and 2000 Hz. This study was undertaken to determine the relative value of 3000, 4000 and 6000 Hz at 20, 25 and 40 dB HL respectively, when used in conjunction with 1000 and 2000 Hz at 20 dB HL to identify children at risk of hearing loss.

A total of 10,622 children was screened using these five frequencies with each ear, yielding 857 children who failed to respond to at least one frequency in either ear. Air conduction thresholds were completed on 809 of these children. Of this group, 466 (57.6%) showed a hearing loss of one or more frequencies for one or both ears. Only 8.3% to 23.9% of the variance in threshold results was related to specific frequency performance on screening. Using 4000 Hz was shown to be preferable to using 6000 Hz. The information provided by the 3000 Hz tone as a screening frequency was not useful in predicting hearing loss in this population.

An increase in the percentage of children identified at risk of hearing loss has occurred since Michigan adopted the published guidelines for initial screening in July 1977. Similar increases, however, have been observed in past years.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. K. Meinke and N. Dice Comparison of Audiometric Screening Criteria for the Identification of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Adolescents Am J Audiol, December 1, 2007; 16(2): S190 - S202. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]