Extended speech intelligibility index (ESII) modeling of fluctuating real-world noise environments may be helpful in characterizing their predicted impact on the ability to perform hearing-critical tasks, a newly published study reports.
ESII is used to estimate the speech reception thresholds (SRT) in real-world, non-stationary noise environments and provides value required for effective speech communication with respect to levels of vocal efforts and distance between communicators.
Researchers conducted five occupational hearing studies over a 17-year period to establish an objective, evidence-based approaches for hearing assessments of public safety and law enforcement officers who must perform hearing-critical tasks.
In each study, essential hearing-critical tasks and the real-world noise environments where these tasks are performed were identified. Calibrated recordings of the noise environments were made. ESII was calculated for each four-second interval in each noise environment recording. Using these data and the ESII calculated value for likelihood of effective speech, researchers determined the likelihood of effective speech communication in each noise environment for different communication distances and varying levels of vocal effort. The results of the study provide an objective norm-referenced and standardized approach to determining the impact of real-world noise on an individual's ability to perform essential hearing-critical tasks.
In the study's discussion, researchers described the motivation behind the development of ESII modeling which was based on the need to evaluate the hearing abilities of individuals who seek to perform jobs that include essential hearing-critical tasks.
Sigfrid D. Soli, PhD, lead author and senior clinical research scientist at House Clinic, told The Hearing Journal that over the past 20 years, a total of five government agencies in the United States and Canada recognized the need to establish objective, evidence-based methods for assessment of individuals who must perform hearing-critical tasks in public safety and law enforcement jobs. “Their hearing standards had become outdated and relied on diagnostic measures of hearing, such as the audiogram, which may not accurately and objectively assess the functional hearing abilities needed to perform hearing-critical job tasks. Thus, such standards may be inconsistent with Federal laws and legal rulings that require occupational medical standards to be job-related," explained Soli.
"The first agency to address this need was the California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission. They came to the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles where I worked at that time, and we did the laboratory and field work necessary to establish and validate new assessment methods that would meet this need. The POST medical guidelines for hearing assessment were updated based on our findings. These guidelines provided an example for other public safety and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada that, over the following years, commissioned studies to update their hearing guidelines and standards," he added.
When asked about the impact of the study, Soli explained "New objective, evidence-based hearing guidelines and standards have been established for many public safety and law enforcement jobs in the U.S. and Canada. These guidelines and standards can provide a more accurate means of hearing assessment for applicants and incumbents that are legally defensible, and that maintain the safety of the individual and the public."
ESII is used to estimate the speech reception thresholds (SRT) in real-world, non-stationary noise environments and provides value required for effective speech communication with respect to levels of vocal efforts and distance between communicators.
Researchers conducted five occupational hearing studies over a 17-year period to establish an objective, evidence-based approaches for hearing assessments of public safety and law enforcement officers who must perform hearing-critical tasks.
In each study, essential hearing-critical tasks and the real-world noise environments where these tasks are performed were identified. Calibrated recordings of the noise environments were made. ESII was calculated for each four-second interval in each noise environment recording. Using these data and the ESII calculated value for likelihood of effective speech, researchers determined the likelihood of effective speech communication in each noise environment for different communication distances and varying levels of vocal effort. The results of the study provide an objective norm-referenced and standardized approach to determining the impact of real-world noise on an individual's ability to perform essential hearing-critical tasks.
In the study's discussion, researchers described the motivation behind the development of ESII modeling which was based on the need to evaluate the hearing abilities of individuals who seek to perform jobs that include essential hearing-critical tasks.
Sigfrid D. Soli, PhD, lead author and senior clinical research scientist at House Clinic, told The Hearing Journal that over the past 20 years, a total of five government agencies in the United States and Canada recognized the need to establish objective, evidence-based methods for assessment of individuals who must perform hearing-critical tasks in public safety and law enforcement jobs. “Their hearing standards had become outdated and relied on diagnostic measures of hearing, such as the audiogram, which may not accurately and objectively assess the functional hearing abilities needed to perform hearing-critical job tasks. Thus, such standards may be inconsistent with Federal laws and legal rulings that require occupational medical standards to be job-related," explained Soli.
"The first agency to address this need was the California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Commission. They came to the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles where I worked at that time, and we did the laboratory and field work necessary to establish and validate new assessment methods that would meet this need. The POST medical guidelines for hearing assessment were updated based on our findings. These guidelines provided an example for other public safety and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada that, over the following years, commissioned studies to update their hearing guidelines and standards," he added.
When asked about the impact of the study, Soli explained "New objective, evidence-based hearing guidelines and standards have been established for many public safety and law enforcement jobs in the U.S. and Canada. These guidelines and standards can provide a more accurate means of hearing assessment for applicants and incumbents that are legally defensible, and that maintain the safety of the individual and the public."
Published: 5/21/2018 3:28:00 PM
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