Sara Misurelli, Ph.D., Au.D., CCC-A
Assistant Professor and Director of Audiology
Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery
School of Medicine & Public Health | University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bridging Gaps in Hearing Health Care: Development, Validation, and Automation of Word Recognition Tests
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050 2.5 billion people will experience hearing loss (HL), with 700 million requiring treatment. Comprehensive hearing evaluations, including word recognition tests (WRTs), are recommended for individuals with HL. While WRTs are a vital component of these evaluations, the availability of validated word lists in a variety of languages, and trained interpreters to score patient responses, is limited. Here our development process and solutions for addressing the lack of WRTs in non-English languages will be presented, using Hmong, a language in which word lists were not available as a case example. Our work involves four phases: 1) creating four professionally recorded phonetically-balanced monosyllabic word lists in White Hmong dialect, 2) validating the word lists, 3) surveying audiologists throughout the U.S. to gauge interest in and feasibility of using non-English word lists, and 4) developing an AI-automated scoring system for Hmong WRTs to improve accessibility and clinical utility. Together this work provides critical insights to barriers, opportunities, and solutions for improved access to equitable hearing health care.