Speech recognition by the elderly: test proposal concerning word predictability

¹1. Kiessling J, Pichora-Fuller MK, Gatehouse S, Stephens D, Arlinger S, Chisolm T et al. Candidature for and delivery of audiological services: special needs of older people. Int J Audiol. 2003;42 Suppl 2:S92-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/14992020309074650
http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/14992020309074...

Results

In general, Speech recognition test showed a higher score in the high predictability sentences and better performance for groups without hearing loss. In the silence, elderly with and without hearing loss have also obtained high scores and the lowest scores were achieved in situations with most intense noise. The benefit of predictability was positive for groups 1, 2 and 3. Group 4 showed a different behavior towards the use of predictability (sometimes positive or negative).

Conclusion

For the elderly evaluated and the differences observed in one of the groups, it was not possible to precisely determine how the elderly benefit from predictability. The hearing loss and the noise have negatively influenced the test performance. Further researches in the area are necessary to confirm the validity of the material produced.

Speech perception; Speech discrimination tests; Aging; Presbycusis; Cognition

List and signal/ noise ratio	Level of predictability	Group	Mean (%)	Median (%)	SD (%)	n	p-value
L3 S/N +5 dB	HP	G1	97	100	6.7	10	0.085#
	HP	G2	91	90	8.8	10	0.085#

	LP	G1	95	100	7.1	10	0.042*
	LP	G2	89	90	5.7	10	0.042*

L4 S/N +5 dB	HP	G1	100	100	0	10	1.000
	HP	G2	100	100	0	10	1.000

	LP	G1	99	100	3.2	10	0.234
	LP	G2	95	100	8.5	10	0.234

L1 S/N +5 dB	HP	G3	100	100	0	8	0.001*
	HP	G4	77.5	80	14.9	8	0.001*

	LP	G3	100	100	0	8	<0.001*
	LP	G4	66.3	70	15.1	8	<0.001*

L2 S/N +5 dB	HP	G3	98.8	100	3.5	8	0.008*
	HP	G4	68.8	70	25.9	8	0.008*

	LP	G3	96.3	100	5.2	8	0.031*
	LP	G4	81.3	80	14.6	8	0.031*

L3 S/N 0 dB	HP	G3	70	60	21.4	8	0.005*
	HP	G4	30	30	19.3	8	0.005*

	LP	G3	58.8	60	12.5	8	0.038*
	LP	G4	37.5	35	26.6	8	0.038*

L4 S/N 0 dB	HP	G3	90	90	7.6	8	0.008*
	HP	G4	46.3	45	29.2	8	0.008*

	LP	G3	81.3	80	9.9	8	0.009*
	LP	G4	41.3	30	27	8	0.009*

List and signal/noise ratio	Group	Level of predictability	Mean (%)	Median (%)	SD (%)	n	p-value
L3 S/N +5 dB	G1	HP	97	100	6.7	10	0.157
	G1	LP	95	100	7.1	10	0.157

	G2	HP	91	90	8.8	10	0.527
	G2	LP	89	90	5.7	10	0.527

L4 S/N +5 dB	G1	HP	100	100	0	10	0.317
	G1	LP	99	100	3.2	10	0.317

	G2	HP	100	100	0	10	0.102
	G2	LP	95	100	8.5	10	0.102

L1 S/N +5 dB	G3	HP	100	100	0	8	1.000
	G3	LP	100	100	0	8	1.000

	G4	HP	77.5	80	14.9	8	0.238
	G4	LP	66.3	70	15.1	8	0.238

L2 S/N +5 dB	G3	HP	98.8	100	3.5	8	0.317
	G3	LP	96.3	100	5.2	8	0.317

	G4	HP	68.8	70	25.9	8	0.039*
	G4	LP	81.3	80	14.6	8	0.039*

L3 S/N 0 dB	G3	HP	70	60	21.4	8	0.056#
	G3	LP	58.8	60	12.5	8	0.056#

	G4	HP	30	30	19.3	8	0.221
	G4	LP	37.5	35	26.6	8	0.221

L4 S/N 0 dB	G3	HP	90	90	7.6	8	0.034*
	G3	LP	81.3	80	9.9	8	0.034*

	G4	HP	46.3	45	29.2	8	0.389
	G4	LP	41.3	30	27	8	0.389

Benefit of predictability (HP-LP)	List 3		List 4

	G1	G2	G1	G2
Mean (%)	2	2	1	5
Median (%)	0	0	0	0
Standard deviation (%)	4.2	10.3	3.2	8.5
n	10	10	10	10
p-value	0.933		0.234

Benefit of predictability (HP-LP)	List 1		List 2		List 3		List 4

	G3	G4	G3	G4	G3	G4	G3	G4
Mean (%)	0	11.3	2.5	-12.5	11.3	-7.5	8.8	5
Median (%)	0	20	0	-10	15	0	10	10
Standard deviation (%)	0	20.3	7.1	14.9	13.6	17.5	9.9	18.5
n	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8
p-value	0.052#		0.017*		0.041*		0.912

Academia Brasileira de Audiologia Rua Itapeva, 202, conjunto 61, CEP 01332-000, Tel.: (11) 3253-8711, Fax: (11) 3253-8473 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revista@audiologiabrasil.org.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Corresponding author: Lucila Leal Calais. E-mail: calais@ig.com.br