Sinéia Neujahr dos Santos

Estudo da equivalência entre as listas de sentenças em Português

PURPOSE: to investigate the equivalence among of sentence lists of the test: Lists of Sentences, in Portuguese, proposed by Costa in 1998. METHODS: the information was taken from a database of a research project. 240 individuals with at least complete high-school, 18 to 30-year old and having normal audibility thresholds, were studied. The Sentence Recognition Thresholds under Silence and under Noise were separately searched in each ear through earphones. In The Sentence Recognition Thresholds under the Noise, speech and noise were presented at the same ear. RESULTS: comparing the results among the lists, we find average difference of 0.03 dB NA to 0.86 dB NA under silence and 0.04 dB NA to 1.06 dB NA under noise. The minimum and maximum values in the six lists were very close. CONCLUSION: it was observed that in the application of the test Lists of Sentences in Portuguese, through earphones, both under silence as well as under noise, similar results were obtained in the lists 1B, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B and 6B, showing equivalence among the lists.

A satisfação e o desempenho de usuários de próteses auditivas atendidos em um programa de atenção à saúde auditiva

RESUMOObjetivo: avaliar o desempenho e a satisfacao com o uso das proteses auditivas nos pacientes aten-didos no convenio APAC-UFSM, apos um ano de adaptacao. Metodos: analisou-se 49 sujeitos, com perda auditiva do tipo neurossensorial ou mista, de grau leve a severo na melhor orelha, divididos em adultos e idosos. Realizou-se a pesquisa dos Limiares e Indices Percentuais de Reconhecimento de Sentencas no Silencio e no Ruido, em campo livre, por meio do teste Listas de Sentencas em Portugues; e aplicou-se o questionario de satisfacao, International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids. Realizaram-se os testes na mesma sessao, em dois momentos distintos, sendo o primeiro, sem o uso das proteses auditivas e o segundo, usando as mesmas.Resultados: houve diferenca signi-ficante no desempenho dos individuos em ambos os grupos, no procedimento realizado no silencio. Apesar de o desempenho com proteses auditivas nao ter apresentado melhora significante no ruido, os pacientes apresentaram respostas satisfatorias no questionario. Na comparacao entre os grupos, nao se observou diferenca significante quanto ao desempenho e satisfacao. Conclusao: a melhora significante do desempenho no silencio vai ao encontro do relato dos pacientes. O questionario evi-denciou que a maioria referiu fazer uso efetivo das proteses auditivas e considerou ter um beneficio muito satisfatorio. Apesar de uma parcela significativa referir moderada ou bastante dificuldade resi-dual, a maioria considerou que o uso das proteses auditivas vale muito ou bastante a pena.DESCRITORES: Auxiliares de Audicao; Testes de Discriminacao da Fala; Questionarios; Perda Auditiva

Limiares de reconhecimento de sentenças no silêncio em campo livre versus limiares tonais em fone em indivíduos com perda auditiva coclear

PURPOSE: to investigate the existent correlation among pure tone thresholds and Sentence Recognition Thresholds in Silence (TRSS) and to check if it is possible, through the audiogram, to set up a prognostic of the patients about their communication ability. METHODS: 42 individuals with moderate cochlear hearing loss, 18 females and 24 males, 41 to 76-year old were studied. Firstly, a basic audiologic evaluation was carried out, then a search of TRSS in free field, through the Portuguese Sentence List Test (PSLT) (Costa, 1998). RESULTS: The statistical analysis showed significant correlation between the sentence recognition thresholds in silence and the average of frequencies of 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz. However, when correlating with the average frequencies of 3, 4 e 6 kHz, there was no significant correlation. CONCLUSION: the probable prognostic concerning the ability for recognizing sentences in silence can be carried through just with the frequency thresholds of 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz in cochlear hearing loss.

Índice percentual de reconhecimento de sentenças no silêncio e no ruído: efeitos da aclimatização no indivíduo avaliado sem as próteses auditivas

OBJETIVO: verificar o efeito da aclimatizacao no reconhecimento de sentencas no silencio e no ruido, em novos usuarios de proteses auditivas, avaliados sem as mesmas, antes e apos o periodo de aclimatizacao. METODOS: participaram do estudo 40 individuos, idade entre 28 e 78 anos, que possuiam perda auditiva neurossensorial de grau leve a moderadamente severo, e estavam iniciando o processo de selecao e adaptacao de proteses auditivas. Os testes foram realizados em diferentes sessoes: antes da adaptacao das proteses auditivas, 14 dias e tres meses apos a adaptacao. Foi aplicado o teste Listas de Sentencas em Portugues (COSTA, 1997), em campo livre, no silencio e no ruido, ambos em intensidade fixa de 65 dB A, na qual foram obtidos os indices percentuais de reconhecimento de sentencas no silencio (IPRSS) e no ruido (IPRSR). RESULTADOS: os valores medios obtidos para o IPRSS na 1a, 2a e 3a sessoes foram, respectivamente, 65%; 72% e 83% dB A. Ja as medias dos IPRSR para a 1a, 2a e 3a sessoes foram 51%; 58% e 59% dB A. Ao comparar os resultados obtidos entre as sessoes, foi verificada diferenca estatisticamente significante, para o IPRSS, entre 1a e a 3a e entre a 2a e a 3a sessao e, para o IPRSR, entre a 1a e a 2a e entre a 1a e a 3a sessao. CONCLUSAO: os individuos melhoraram seu desempenho ao longo do uso das proteses auditivas, mesmo sendo avaliados sem as mesmas e essa melhora pode estar relacionada ao efeito da aclimatizacao.

Reconhecimento de sentenças no silêncio e no ruído em fones auriculares: valores de referência de normalidade

OBJETIVO: determinar os limiares de reconhecimento de sentencas no silencio (LRSS) e no ruido (LRSR), a fim de estimar os valores de referencia para jovens adultos normo-ouvintes. METODOLOGIA: foram avaliados 240 individuos, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 18 e 30 anos, com no minimo o ensino medio completo. As medidas foram obtidas utilizando o teste Listas de Sentencas em Portugues (LSP, Costa, 1998), em fones auriculares. Para a obtencao dos LRSR foi usado um ruido fixo a 65 dB NA, ipsilateralmente, cujos resultados foram expressos por meio das relacoes S/R. RESULTADOS: com base nos valores encontrados a partir da avaliacao de 480 orelhas, o LRSS medio encontrado foi de 6,20 dB NA, com valores minimos e maximos de 2,44 dB NA e 9,66 dB NA, respectivamente, e um desvio-padrao medio de 1,33; enquanto que a relacao S/R media foi de -5,29 dB, com valores minimos e maximos de -2,55 dB e -9,22 dB, e um desvio-padrao medio de 1,13. CONCLUSAO: o LRSS medio, 6,20 dB NA, foi compativel com a media dos limiares tonais, 7,22 dB NA, nas frequencias de 0,5, 1 e 2 kHz. O LRSR medio -5,29 dB pode ser usado como referencia para avaliar o desempenho de individuos com e sem perda auditiva. Os LRSR obtidos em relacoes S/R de -3,03 a -7,55 dB podem indicar um bom desempenho no reconhecimento de fala no ruido.

Bilingualism and auditory processing abilities: performance of adults in dichotic listening tests

PURPOSE To evaluate and compare the dichotic listening abilities in non-hearing-impaired adults monolingual speakers of the Brazilian Portuguese language (CG) and simultaneous Brazilian Portuguese-German (GG) bilingual speakers or successive Brazilian Portuguese-Italian bilingual speakers (IG). METHODS This is about an observational, descriptive, transverse and quantitative research. The sample consisted of 87 subjects aged between 18 and 55 years, divided into: Control Group (CG), of 30 monolingual speakers of Brazilian Portuguese; Study Group A (SGA), of 31 simultaneous Brazilian Portuguese-German bilingual speakers; and Study Group I (SGI), of 26 successive Brazilian Portuguese-Italian speakers. The individuals were submitted to the Dichotic digits test (DDT) and to Staggered Spondaic Words (SSW). RESULTS The DTT results showed difference in right ear and total scores when comparing SGA to CG. Comparing the CG and the SGI, it was observed difference in right and left ears and total scores. Comparing the SGA and the SGI, no difference was observed between the groups. Results of SSW showed that both bilingual groups were significantly better in the right and left ears scores and even in total one when compared to CG. Comparing the SGA and the SGI, the SGI showed better significant scores in the right ear and total. CONCLUSION Bilingual experiences seem to influence positively the ability of high predictability dichotic listening, evaluated by DDT, and the low predictability dichotic listening, evaluated by SSW test. The SSW results also showed statistically significantly better results for successive Brazilian Portuguese-Italian bilingual speakers when compared to simultaneous Brazilian Portuguese-German speakers.

Reconhecimento de fala em indivíduos com e sem queixa clínica de dificuldade para entender a fala no ruído

INTRODUCTION: Clinical and experimental study. Individuals with a normal hearing can be jeopardized in adverse communication situations, what negatively interferes with speech clearness. OBJECTIVE: check and compare the performance of normal hearing young adults who have a difficulty in understanding speech during noise or not, by making use of sentences as stimuli. METHOD: 50 normal hearing individuals, 21 of whom were male and 29 were female, aged between 19 and 32, were evaluated and divided into two groups: with and without a clinical complaint about understanding speech during noise. By using Portuguese Sentence Lists test, the Recognition Threshold of Sentences during Noise research was performed, through which the signal-to-noise (SN) ratios were obtained. The contrasting noise was introduced at 65 dB NA. RESULTS: the average values achieved for SN ratios in the left ear, for the group without a complaint and the group with a complaint, were respectively 6. 26 dB and 3. 62 dB. For the left ear, the values were -7. 12 dB and -4. 12 dB. A statistically significant difference was noticed in both right and left ears of the two groups. CONCLUSION: normal hearing individuals showing a clinical complaint about understanding speech at noisy places have more difficulty in the task to recognize sentences during noise, in comparison with the people who do not face such a difficulty. Accordingly, the customary audiologic evaluation must include tests using sentences during a contrasting noise, with a view to evaluating the speech recognition performance more reliably and efficiently.

Efeito da aclimatização no reconhecimento de fala: avaliação sem as próteses auditivas

Background: after the adaptation of hearing aids, an improvement in speech understanding is expected to occur, called acclimatization. Aim: to determine the effect of acclimatization in sentences recognition threshold, for the conditions of silence (SRTQ) and noise (SRTN), in new users of hearing aids, evaluated prior to and after acclimatization, without the use of the hearing aids. Method: participants were 40 individuals, aged between 28 and 78 years, with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. Tests were conducted in three sessions: prior to the adaptation of the hearing aids, fourteen days and three months later.The Portuguese Sentences Lists test in free field was used for testing, and the SRTQ and SRTN were obtained (with noise level settled at 65 dB A). Results were expressed through the signal/noise ratios. Results: the mean values for the SRTQ in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions were 54.43, 51.71 and 52.22 dB A respectively,. The mean signal/noise ratios for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd sessions were 1.67, 0.30 and -0.03 dB A. When comparing the results obtained between the testing sessions, a statistically significant difference was observed between the 1st and 2nd sessions, and between the 1st and 3rd sessions for the values obtained in the testing conditions of silence and noise. Conclusion: There was a progressive reduction of sentences recognition thresholds and signal/noise ratios indicating an improvement in performance even when assessing the individuals without the hearing aids. This improvement can be related to the effect of acclimatization.

Proposal for implementing the Sentence Recognition Index in individuals with hearing disorders

PURPOSE To present and describe a new strategy and protocol for obtaining the Sentences Recognition Indexes (SRI), using the Lists of Phrases in Portuguese test (LPP), considering words in the analysis of responses; to analyze and compare the results using the previous and the new strategies by checking their applicability and suitability. METHODS To consider each word of the sentence, words were classified according to their importance: functional and content words, assigning them, respectively, two and one points. SRI were obtained in 33 normal hearing adults, and results were compared using the two strategies. RESULTS A new protocol was established. Each point corresponds to the following percentages in each list: 1B, 1.11%; 2B, 1.13%; 3B, 1.17%; 4B, 1.16%; 5B, 1.20%; and 6B, 1.11%. The median SRI obtained through usual and new strategies were, respectively, for the list 1B: 60 and 82.57%; 2B: 70 and 80.79%; 3B: 50 and 76.60%; 4B: 70 and 82.60%; 5B: 50 and 77.20%; and 6B: 60 and 82.14%. A significant difference was found when these strategies were compared. CONCLUSION New strategy and protocol for evaluating the SRI were developed using the LPP test, considering each word of the sentence. When comparing the responses it was noticed that when considering each word in the sentence it is possible to scale, more detailed and less variability, the actual ability to recognize speech of each individual, the new strategy and protocol developed confirmed its applicability and suitability to assess Sentence Recognition Indexes in Quiet in individuals with hearing disorders in a specific listening condition.

Reconhecimento de sentenças no silêncio e no ruído, em campo livre, em indivíduos portadores de perda auditiva de grau moderado

INTRODUCTION: In daily routine from the audiologists, the complaints are frequent about the difficulty of understanding of speech in a noisy environment. Audiologic tests that use the sentences as stimulus, have been objects of research, because besides check the real hearing abilities from the patient, provide a direct approach with situations of communications and provide information that will guide the more adequate conduct to be indicated for the individual with hearing complaints. OBJECTIVE: Determine the thresholds of recognition of sentences in silence and the relation sign/noise in a group of individual carriers of the bilateral neurosensory hearing loss and symmetric from moderate degree. METHOD: Retrospective study, clinic and experimental. Were evaluated 50 individuals, being 16 adults of middle age and 34 elderly. Was performed a anamnesis and the basic audiological evaluation. Posteriorly, using the test of List of Sentences in Portuguese, was performed the research of the thresholds of recognition of sentences in silence and the relation sign/noise with a fixed level of noise of 65 dB NPS(A). RESULTS: The average LRSS obtained for all subject was of 60,90 dB NPS (A), and the average of relations S/R was of +3,20 dB NPS (A). CONCLUSION: The analysis of variables allowed to obtain the average LRSS, affirm that it had correlation with the triton mean of the better ear from subjects and that the threshold of audibility seems to be the only parameter to influence the recognition in the silence. Besides, make it possible to obtain of the mean of relations S/R, which demonstrate the difficulty that the individual with hearing loss present in noisy environment.Introduction: In daily routine from the audiologists, the complaints are frequent about the difficulty of understanding of speech in a noisy environment. Audiologic tests that use the sentences as stimulus, have been objects of research, because besides check the real hearing abilities from the patient, provide a direct approach with situations of communications and provide information that will guide the more adequate conduct to be indicated for the individual with hearing complaints. Objective: Determine the thresholds of recognition of sentences in silence and the relation sign/noise in a group of individual carriers of the bilateral neurosensory hearing loss and symmetric from moderate degree. Method: Retrospective study, clinic and experimental. Were evaluated 50 individuals, being 16 adults of middle age and 34 elderly. Was performed a anamnesis and the basic audiological evaluation. Posteriorly, using the test of List of Sentences in Portuguese, was performed the research of the thresholds of recognition of sentences in silence and the relation sign/noise with a fixed level of noise of 65 dB NPS(A). Results: The average LRSS obtained for all subject was of 60,90 dB NPS (A), and the average of relations S/R was of +3,20 dB NPS (A). Conclusion: The analysis of variables allowed to obtain the average LRSS, affirm that it had correlation with the triton mean of the better ear from subjects and that the threshold of audibility seems to be the only parameter to influence the recognition in the silence. Besides, make it possible to obtain of the mean of relations S/R, which demonstrate the difficulty that the individual with hearing loss present in noisy environment.