Survey study reveals frequent speech-in-noise testing and high confidence among audiologists, indicating clinical time constraints remain the primary barrier to broader adoption.
Key Points
To characterize speech-in-noise (SIN) testing practice patterns, clinical attitudes, facilitators, and perceived barriers among licensed audiologists evaluating adult patients.
Administered an anonymous online Qualtrics survey to licensed U.S. audiologists conducting adult diagnostic testing (N = 275 completed responses).
Analyzed practice patterns, provider demographics, and clinical barriers using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations, and association tests.
Approximately half of respondents reported frequent SIN testing, though clinical utilization varied depending on the workplace setting.
Validating patient reports of SIN difficulties was the most commonly reported clinical driver, whereas lack of time was the most frequent barrier.
Provider confidence in performing SIN testing correlated significantly with perceived clinical usefulness, with tests deployed more for diagnostic assessment than for verifying amplification treatment.