Review: the whispered voice test is accurate for detecting hearing impairment in children and adults
Q Is the whispered voice test accurate for detecting hearing impairment in children and adults?
METHODS
Data sources:
Medline, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, and Science Citation Index (to June 2002); the web (for unpublished theses); reference lists; and authors.
Study selection and assessment:
2 reviewers independently selected cross sectional studies in any language if they evaluated the whispered voice test; the reference test, audiometry, was given to ⩾80% of participants; and sensitivity and specificity were reported (or calculable).
Outcomes:
sensitivity and specificity.
MAIN RESULTS
8 English language studies were included. 4 studies included 256 adults (age range 17–96 y). The prevalence of hearing impairment ranged from 26–61%. 3 studies used similar techniques for the whispered voice test and a 30 dB positivity …
