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This study aimed to systematically review and critically appraise the literature describing the phonetic characteristics and accuracy of the consonants, vowels and tones produced by Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants (CIs). The protocol in this review was designed in conformity with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. EBSCOhost, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, ProQuest Central databases were searched for relevant articles which met the inclusion criteria. A total of 18 journal papers were included in this review. The results revealed that Mandarin-speaking children with CIs perform consistently more poorly in their production of consonants, in particular on fricatives, have a smaller and less well-defined vowel space, and exhibit greater difficulties in tone realisation, notably T2 and T3, when compared to their normal-hearing (NH) peers. The results from acoustic and accuracy analyses are negatively correlated with CI implantation age, but largely positively correlated with hearing age. Findings of this review highlight the factors that influence consonant, vowel and tone production in Mandarin-speaking children with CIs, thereby providing critical information for clinicians and researchers working with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this paper was to highlight the importance of cultural infl uence in understanding hearing-help seeking and hearing-aid uptake. Design: Information on audiological services in different countries and ' theories related to cross-culture ' is presented, followed by a general discussion. Study sample: Twenty-seven relevant literature reviews on hearing impairment, cross-cultural studies, and the health psychology model and others as secondary resources. Results: Despite the adverse consequences of hearing impairment and the significant potential benefits of audiological rehabilitation, only a small number of those with hearing impairment seek professional help and take up appropriate rehabilitation. Therefore, hearing help-seeking and hearing-aid uptake has recently become the hot topic for clinicians and researchers. Previous research has identified many contributing factors for hearing help-seeking with self-reported hearing disability being one of the main factors. Although significant differences in help-seeking and hearing-aid adoption rates have been reported across countries in population studies, limited literature on the infl uence of cross-cultural factors in this area calls for an immediate need for research. Conclusions: This paper highlights the importance of psychological models and cross-cultural research in the area of hearing help-seeking and hearing-aid uptake, and consequently some directions for future research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study aimed to explore barriers to hearing aid adoption amongst older adults in mainland China. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. The study included 12 older adults who had seen ENTs and had not adopted hearing aids. Three overarching themes and ten subthemes were generated to explain why older adults in mainland China do not adopt hearing aids: (1) Desire a cure for hearing loss, (2) Lack of a perceived need for hearing aids, and (3) Negative impressions of, and misconceptions about, hearing aids. Although barriers are similar to those reported in Western societies, the under-developed hearing healthcare infrastructure, Chinese health beliefs, Chinese culture, and low health literacy play important roles in preventing older adults to adopt hearing aids in mainland China. To identify barriers to hearing aid adoption and address them, hearing health practitioners should learn what older adults know about their hearing loss, how they perceive the effects of hearing loss, and how they feel about hearing aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the association between self-reported hearing status and risk of hospitalisation among Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Prospective cohort study. Discrete-time hazards models and negative binomial models were fitted to examine the relationship. About 11,902 participants aged 45 years or older with no hospitalisation at baseline. 49.28–62.70% of the participants reported their hearing as fair or poor. For older adults aged 60 and above, compared to people with excellent and very good hearing, those with good, fair or poor hearing reported shorter time to first hospitalisation [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.38, 1.38, 1.63, respectively]. They also manifested greater number of hospitalisations [incident rate ratio (IRR) = 1.21, 1.25, 1.54, respectively], and longer duration of hospitalisation (IRR = 1.36, 1.26, 1.53, respectively). However, there was no significant association between hearing status and hospitalisation for middle-aged adults for none of the hearing categories. Although no significant relationship between hearing and hospitalisation was found for middle-aged adults, older adults with poorer hearing experienced greater risk of hospitalisation. Given that hearing impairment is highly prevalent among older adults, future analyses are needed to investigate whether hearing rehabilitative therapies could help mitigate hospitalisations in hearing-impaired older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the clinical practicality of the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) in the Mandarin Chinese-speaking population and compare patients' and physicians' assessments of the impact of dizziness on the quality of life using the DHI. Prospective cross-sectional. Overall, 144 consecutive patients aged ≥ 18 years seeking treatment for dizziness in an Ear-Nose-Throat clinic in China. Some items in the DHI could not be completed by both patients (46/144, 31.9%) and physicians (26/144, 18.1%). In fully completed DHIs (98/144, 68.1%), the patients' self-assessment scores were higher than the physicians' assessment scores (average 44.04 ± 21.38 vs 35.94 ± 16.99; p < 0.05). The strength of the correlation between the patients' and physicians' total DHI scores was high (r = 0.80; p < 0.05). Moreover, at a cut-off point of 18, the discrepancy scores of 77.6% (76/98) of the cases did not exceed the minimum detectable change (MDC) of the DHI. The clinical practicality of the DHI in such settings requires improvement. Even though physician interviews can increase the degree of questionnaire completion, not all items can be completed. Although the physicians' assessment scores were lower than the patients' self-assessment scores, the majority of the discordancy scores were within the MDC of the DHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of NLFC fitting in hearing aids and auditory acclimatisation on speech perception and sound-quality rating in hearing-impaired, native Mandarin-speaking adult listeners. Design: Mandarin consonant, vowel and tone recognition were tested in quiet and sentence recognition in noise (speech-shaped noise at a +5 dB signal-to-noise ratio) with NLFC-on and NLFC-off. Sound-quality ratings were collected on a 0–10 scale at each test session. A generalised linear model and correlational analyses were performed. Study sample: Thirty native Mandarin-speaking adults with moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss were recruited. Results: The hearing-impaired listeners showed significantly higher accuracy with NLFC-on than with NLFC-off for consonant and sentence recognition and the recognition performance improved with both NLFC-on and off as a function of increased length of use. The satisfaction score of sound-quality ratings for different types of sounds significantly increased with NLFC-on than with NLFC-off. The speech recognition results showed moderate to strong correlation with the unaided hearing thresholds. Conclusion: For native Mandarin-speaking listeners with hearing loss, the NLFC technology provided modest but significant improvement in Mandarin fricative and sentence recognition. Subjectively, the naturalness and overall preference of sound-quality satisfaction judgement also improved with NLFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the issue on topics including speech perception in Mandarin-speaking children, tone perception in Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants, and confusion patterns in lexical tone identification.

Objectives: To gain insight into the hearing protection practice of Chinese workers and the value of hearing protection fit testing. Design: The Field Attenuation Estimation System (FAES) was used to measure the personal attenuation ratings (PARs) of one foam earplug used at the work sites in China. Intervention was provided to workers who needed it. Follow-up fit testing was conducted approximately six months later. Paired t-tests were conducted to compare the baseline, post-intervention and follow-up visit PARs. Study sample: Fit testing was conducted on 335 workers in four factories with 269 workers intervened. Follow-up visit was conducted on 97 intervened workers in three factories. Results: The mean PAR baseline was 10 dB. Significant improvement was shown on post-intervention PARs (p < 0.05) as well as follow-up visit PARs (p < 0.05). Comparing follow-up visit PARs to post-intervention PARs, good sustainability was shown in two factories (p > 0.05), while a significant decline (p < 0.05) was observed in another. Conclusions: Hearing protection fit testing demonstrated value for verifying sufficiency of attenuation. The training along with fit testing contributed to improve PARs and maintaining effectiveness over time. Employer's attention and follow-up actions are important in sustaining the training effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Development of the Mandarin Chinese matrix (CMNmatrix) sentence test for speech intelligibility measurements in noise according to the international standard procedure. Design: A 50-word base matrix representing the distribution of phonemes and lexical tones of spoken Mandarin was established. Hundred sentences capturing all the co-articulations of two consecutive words were recorded. Word-specific speech recognition functions, speech reception thresholds (SRT: signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), that provides 50% speech intelligibility) and slopes were obtained from measurements at fixed SNRs. The speech material was homogenised in intelligibility by applying level corrections up to ± 2 dB. Subsequently, the CMNmatrix test was evaluated, the comparability of test lists was measured at two fixed SNRs. To investigate the training effect and establish the reference data, speech recognition was measured adaptively. Study sample: Overall, the study sample contained 80 normal-hearing native Mandarin-speaking listeners. Results: Multi-centre evaluation measurements confirmed that test lists are equivalent in intelligibility, with a mean SRT of −10.1 ± 0.1 dB SNR and a slope of 13.1 ± 0.9 %/dB. The reference SRT is −9.3 ± 0.8 and −11.2 ± 1.2 dB SNR for the open- and closed-set response format, respectively. Conclusion: The CMNmatrix test is suitable for accurate and internationally comparable speech recognition measurements in noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitude among mothers of newborns regarding infant hearing loss (HL) in Changsha, Hunan province, China.Design: A questionnaire including 18 items was given to mothers.Study sample: A total of 115 mothers participated in the study.Results: Seven risk factors for hearing loss were identified correctly by above 60% of respondents and the top three were prolonged noise (88.7%), high fever (82.6%) and ear discharge (82.6%). Poor knowledge was demonstrated on risk factors jaundice (20.0%), measles (22.6%), convulsion (33.0%) and traditional Chinese medicine (39.1%). Maternal knowledge scores in identification and intervention (2.68 ± 0.31) was slightly higher than the score in risk factors (2.47 ± 0.34). Ninety-nine per cent of the mothers expressed the willingness to test baby’s hearing soon after birth and concern about hearing.Conclusions: Mothers were concerned about baby’s hearing and the attitude was positive. However, the correct recognition rate towards some risk factors for HL was low. Action needs to be taken to raise awareness about ear and hearing care, prevent HL caused by preventable causes and prompt early identification, early diagnosis and intervention of HL. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective:The aim of the present study was to investigate the use of Chinese version of HHIE-S as a hearing screening tool for the elderly in an industrial area in northeast China.Design:Prevalence, sensitivity and specificity of Chinese version of HHIE-S were calculated. Factors that had impact on HHIE-S were analysed.Study sample:Five hundred and seventy Mandarin speaking participants, aged from 50 to 85 years were included. They were tested with pure tone audiometry and Chinese version of HHIE-S.Results:The prevalence of hearing handicap was 55.3%. The sensitivity and specificity of HHIE-S were 84.5% and 58.3% respectively when the pass/fail criteria were set at PTA0.5–4kHz>40 dBHL. In general, HHIE-S total and subscale scores were significantly associated with severity of hearing impairment. After stratified by severity of hearing impairment, both the prevalence of reported handicap and the scores of HHIE-S were not significantly associated with age. Male participants had significantly higher HHIE-S scores than female participants did.Conclusions:The Chinese version of HHIE-S contributes useful information to identifying hearing handicap and addressing the rehabilitative needs in the elderly in an industrial city in Mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a common cause of chronic dizziness, but only a few studies have reported its clinical characteristics, and no related research has been performed in China. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of PPPD for the first time in China. Design: Data was collected from all patients during standard clinical practice, and further to evaluate the characteristics of PPPD comparing with the control group. Study sample: A total of 43 patients diagnosed with PPPD were selected as the study group for analysis. Results: Women were significantly more represented in the study group than men, and in the majority of cases the age of onset was in middle-age, and sleep quality was clearly decreased compared with controls, with more statistically significantly higher levels of anxiety. Personality analysis identified that neuroticism was significantly higher than in controls. Conclusions: In this sample we showed that PPPD was more represented in female patients, the age of onset was 40–60 years old, the majority of patients had sleep disorders, anxiety was the main mood disorder to be identified, and personality analysis found that neurotic personality may be the risk factor for developing PPPD. Further large scale studies are suggested in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish the reliability and validity of an automated hearing screening test system for children. Design: Cross-sectional within a comparative study of subjects. Study sample: Subjects were 325 first-grade and second-grade children (6-10 years old) from primary schools in Shenzhen, China. Results: Using the conventional pure-tone screening test with the pass/refer criterion set as 25 dB HL, as the ʽgold standard', the sensitivity and specificity of the automated hearing screening test was 0.63 and 0.82, respectively. No specific pattern in the failure rates was observed to relate to the students' grade. There was no statistically significant age effect or gender effect. Conclusions: The results suggest that with further improvement in terms of its sensitivity and specificity, it may be feasible to use the automated hearing screening test system to conduct routine school hearing screenings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Newborn hearing screening has been successfully implemented worldwide to improve the detection of hearing loss. However, delayed-onset hearing loss subsequent to newborn hearing screening remains a concern. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of delayed-onset hearing loss in preschool children who previously passed newborn hearing screening in Hubei Province in mid-south China. Design: Preschool children were screened by transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) for delayed-onset hearing loss. Children referred after the TEOAE screening were assessed audiologically. Study sample: Between March 2010 and September 2011, 28 546 preschool children (4.86 ± 1.67 years old), who had passed newborn hearing screening were targeted for screening from four cities in Hubei Province, China. Results: During the study period, 540 children (1.89%) were referred for audiologic assessment and 22 (0.77/1000) of them had permanent delayed-onset hearing loss, including 8 (0.28/1000) with bilateral moderate hearing loss, 10 (0.35/1000) with mild bilateral hearing loss, 2 (0.07/1000) with unilateral moderate hearing loss, and 2 (0.07/1000) with unilateral mild hearing loss. Conclusions: Despite the success of newborn hearing screening, the provision of hearing screening in preschool remains essential for identifying delayed-onset hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective: To develop and evaluate the Mandarin speech signal content on the acceptable noise level (ANL) test in listeners with normal hearing in mainland China. Design: The Mandarin ANL tests were conducted using three different sets of Mandarin running speech materials which were chosen from textbooks for primary school, secondary school, and high school, respectively. For each discourse, two ANL measurements were obtained and averaged for each experimental condition using ANL test procedures. Study sample: Thirty-one normal-hearing listeners participated in this study. Results: There were significant differences for ANLs among the normal-hearing listeners, but no differences were found for MCLs and ANLs for the three sets of test materials. The Pearson correlations suggested significant correlations between MCL and ANL among the three test materials; also the results showed that the correlation coefficient between MCL-ANL of the primary material was much better than other two materials. Conclusions: (1) The contents of different Mandarin running speeches may not affect the acceptable noise level in Mandarin normal-hearing listeners; (2) The running speech selected from the primary school ought to be used as the Mandarin acceptable noise level test material to evaluate the outcomes of hearing aid fitting. Sumario Objetivo: Desarrollar y evaluar el contenido de la seññal de lenguaje en mandaríín con la Prueba de Nivel de Ruido Aceptable (ANL), en sujetos con audicióón normal de China continental. Diseñño: Las pruebas de ANL en mandaríín fueron conducidas usando tres diferentes tipos de contenidos provenientes de materiales de lenguaje en mandaríín escogidos de libros de texto para la escuela primaria, secundaria y preparatoria, respectivamente. Para cada discurso, se obtuvieron dos mediciones de ANL y se promediaron para cada condicióón experimental, usando los procedimientos de la prueba de ANL. Muestra del Estudio: Participaron en el estudio treinta y un sujetos con audicióón normal. Resultados: Existieron diferencias significativas de ANL entre los sujetos con audicióón normal, pero no se encontraron diferencias en el MCL y ANL de los tres materiales. Las correlaciones de Pearson sugirieron correlaciones significativas entre el MCL y ANL de los tres materiales; tambiéén los resultados mostraron que el coeficiente de correlacióón entre MCL-ANL del material de primaria fue mucho mejor que con los otros dos materiales. Conclusiones: (1) el contenido de los diferentes discursos en mandaríín puede no afectar el nivel aceptable de ruido en oyentes de mandaríín con audicióón normal; (2) el discurso seleccionado de la escuela primaria deberíía ser utilizado como el material de prueba en mandaríín con un nivel aceptable de ruido, para evaluar los resultados de la adaptacióón de auxiliares auditivos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of a Chinese (Cantonese) version of the Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ), which is a psychometric self-report measure of perceived tinnitus-related distress. The subjects were 114 adults who attended audiology clinics with a primary or secondary complaint of tinnitus. They completed the Chinese versions of the TQ (TQ-CH), Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The subjective severity of tinnitus and tinnitus-related problems were scored using rating scales. The TQ-CH and its subscales had good internal consistency reliability estimates (α=0.75-0.94), which were comparable to those of the original version. Significant correlations were observed between the TQ-CH and psychological distress, tinnitus-related problem ratings, and severity ratings. Factor analysis showed the high construct validity of the TQ-CH subscales. High test-retest reliablity (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.96) was observed. The results suggest that the TQ-CH is a reliable and valid measure of general tinnitus-related distress that can be used in clinical settings to quantify the impact of tinnitus on daily living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, monosyllabic Mandarin speech test materials (MSTMs) were developed for use in word recognition tests for speech audiometry in Chinese audiology clinics. Mandarin monosyllabic materials with high familiarity were designed with regard to phonological balance and recorded digitally with a male voice. Inter-list equivalence of difficulty was evaluated for a group of 60 subjects (aged 18-25 years) with normal hearing. Seven lists with 50 words each were found to be equivalent. These seven equivalent lists were used to measure performance-intensity (PI) functions for a group of 32 subjects with normal hearing and a group of 40 subjects with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. The mean slope of PI function was found to be 4.1%/dB and 2.7%/dB, respectively. The seven lists of Mandarin monosyllabic materials were found to have sufficient reliability and validity to be used in clinical situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current tympanometric norms have acknowledged the relevance of age as an influencing factor. However, little attention has been afforded to other potentialities such as the non-pathological effects of gender, ear asymmetry, and racial heritage. This study aimed to examine normative tympanometric findings in a large sample of Chinese schoolchildren. Using a Madsen 901 Middle Ear Analyzer, data was collected from 269 children (538 ears), ranging in age from 6.2–12.7 years (mean = 9.4 years, SD = 1.7), in Jiangsu province. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the parameters of equivalent ear canal volume (χ = 1.03, SD = 0.25, 90% = 0.68–1.46), peak compensated static acoustic admittance (χ = 0.58, SD = 0.34, 90% = 0.26–1.13), tympanometric width (χ = 112, SD = 36, 90% = 62–156), and peak pressure (χ = - 25, SD = 30, 90% = - 85 + 10). Statistically significant ear asymmetry and grade/age effects were established, although differences found were minor. In comparison with past studies in Caucasian paediatric populations, the Chinese normative data displayed minimal disparities. Se ha reconocido en las normas timpanométricas actuales la relevancia de la edad como un factor de influencia. Sin embargo, se ha puesto poca atención a otros factores potenciales como el efecto no patológico del género, la asimetría entre oídos y la herencia racial. Este estudio intenta examinar los hallazgos normativos timpanométricos en una gran muestra de escolares Chinos. Se utilizó un analizador de oído medio Madsen 901 y se colectaron datos de 269 niños (328 oídos) con edades entre 6.2 y 12.7 años (media = 9.4 años, DS = 1.7) en la provincia de Jiangsu . Se calcularon estadísticas descriptivas para los parámetros de equivalencia del volumen del conducto auditivo externo (χ = 1.03, SD = 0.25, 90% = 0.68–1.46), la admitancia acústica estática pico compensada (χ = 0.58, SD = 0.34, 90% = 0.26–1.13), la amplitud del timpanograma (χ = 112, SD = 36, 90% = 62–156), y la presión pico (χ = - 25, SD = 30, 90% = - 85 + 10). Se establecieron los efectos estadisticamente significativos en cuanto a asimetría de oídos y diferencia grado/edad, aunque las diferencias encontradas fueron menores. Los datos normativos mostraron disparidades mínimas, en comparación con otros estudios en la población pediátrica China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]