Comparative Efficacy of Pure Tone Audiometry and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions for Hearing Screening in Elderly Populations

Objective This study compares the efficacy of Pure Tone Audiometry and screening-type Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in elderly hearing screening, aiming to establish a rapid and efficient method for detecting age-related hearing loss. Methods A total of 252 elderly participants aged 60 years and above were randomly selected from Wuyunshan Hospital in Hangzhou. Both Pure Tone Audiometry and screening-type Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission were performed, and statistical methods were used to analyze the results. Results The air-conduction thresholds of Pure Tone Audiometry showed statistically significant differences across frequencies in hearing screening (P < 0.05), with 0.5 and 4 kHz being the most sensitive indicators of hearing abnormalities. The screening-type Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission results also demonstrated statistical significance in hearing assessments (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a statistically significant difference was observed between the Pure Tone Audiometry and screening-type Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission results (P < 0.05). Conclusions The Pure Tone Audiometry thresholds and screening-type Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission tests across various frequencies both demonstrated good efficacy in hearing screening for elderly people. The hearing impairment detection rate was higher using Pure Tone Audiometry compared with screening-type Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions. These findings can guide the development of a rapid and effective screening method for age-related hearing loss in older adults.