• Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.250-258
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• 2018

Objectives. To compare narrative skills between fourth and fifth grades of Persian-speaking students with hearing impairments and typical hearing students of the same grade and also to evaluate the effects of group, sex, hearing age, and educational grade of the students on their spoken/written narrative performance. Methods. The subjects were 174 students aged 10-13 years, 54 of whom wore cochlear implants, 60 suffered from moderate to severe hearing losses and wore hearing aids, with the remaining 60 students being typical hearing in terms of the sense of hearing. The micro- and macrostructure components of spoken and written narrative were elicited from a pictorial story (The Playful Little Elephant) and then scored by raters. Results. Compared to the typical hearing, the students with hearing impairments had significantly lower scores in all of the microstructure components of narratives. However, the findings showed no significant difference among different groups in macrostructure components of narratives. It was also revealed that the students had equal performance in spoken and written narrative. Finally, factor analysis manifested that group, sex, hearing age, and educational level of children might alter the outcome measures in various interactions. Conclusion. Although cochlear implantation was more effective than hearing aid on spoken and written narrative skills, the Persian-speaking students with hearing impairments were seen to need additional trainings on microstructure components of spoken/written narrative.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.12-21
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• 2000

In this paper, we propose a novel hearing aid algorithm for sensorinural hearing loss restoration with multi-channel(band) dynamic range compression and psychoacoustics. In this way, we can present a normal perception condition to the impaired listener. The proposed algorithm make loudness scaling function achieve proper loudness level, and analysis masking property for the signal will be perceived to impaired listener, and then, restore normal spectral contrast using SMR(signal-to-masking ratio) defined by distance between the level of each frequency and masking threshold.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 1991

This Study was carried out to measure the noise and to evalulate the prevalence of the noise-induced hearing loss and the hypertension in metal manufacturing workers. To perform this sutdy 116 workers were tested their hearing level and hypertension. 1. In frequency analysis, the $C_5$-dip phenomenon occurred around 4000 Hz. 2. Noise intensity was correlated significantly with hearing loss at 500, 1,000, 8,000 Hz (p<0.01). 3. Average hearing loss value by 4-divided method was $32.91{\pm}5.60dB$. 4. Hearing loss steadily increased to the 10th year and steadily after that at 4000 Hz. 5. The prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss of 6,027 workers was 1.81 %. 6. The prevalence of hypertension of 116 workers was 11.2 %.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.678-693
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• 1993

The purposes of this study were to describe the level of vision and hearing impairments, depression and functional capacity, among Korean institutionalized elderly and to examine the relation-ship between sensory impairments, depression, and functional capacity in these people. The final pupose was to test the cognitive function path model using sensory competencies as predictors. A convenience sample of thirty nine male and 90 female subjects with a mean age of 80.5 were the subjects of this study. The subjects were tested for cognitive function, and vision and hearing impairments. Physical function and social function were measured by observation of designated task performance by the subjects. Their level of de-pression was measured using a Geriatric Depression Scale administered through an interview. Individual subjective ratings of hearing and vision were marked by the subjects, on a ladder scale. The results of the study showed that 48.8% of the subjects had a hearing impairment, 63.5% had a vision impairement, and 36.4% had both a vision and hearing impairement. The four sensory groups (no sensory impairement, hearing impairement, vision impairement, hearing and vision impairement) were tested for differences in depression, physical function, social behavior and cognitive function. The only significant difference that was found was in cognitive function, between the no sensory impairement group and the hearing and vision impairement group(F=3.25, P<.05), Subjective ratings of hearing showed a significant correlation with cognitive function(r=.34, p<.001) and with social behavior(r=.31, p<.001). There was no correlation between subjective vision ratings and cognitive function or social behavior. However there was a significant correlation between vision and hearing(r=.49, p<.001). There was also a significant negative correlation between age and vision(r=-.21, p<.01) and between age and hear-ing(r=-.34, p<.001). There was a significant correlation between depression and physical function (r=-.32, p<.001) but there was no correlation between depression and cognitive function or social behavior. Based on the literature review and the result, this study, a path model of sensory competence-> cognitive function- >social behavior was developed and tested : Perceived vision and perceived hearing were the exogenous variahles and cognitive function and social behavior were the endogeneous variables in the model. The path analysis result demonstrated an accept-able fit (GFI=.997, AGFI=.972, X$^2$=.72 (p=.396), RMSR=.019) between the data and the model. There was a significant direct effect($\beta$=.38) of perceived hearing on cognitive function. There was a significant direct effect ($\beta$=.32) of cognitive function on social behavior. The total effect of hearing on social behavior was $\beta$=.32 including the indirect effect ($\beta$=.12) . However perceived vsion had little effect ($\beta$=-.08) on cognitive function. The result of path analysis confirms that hearing levels influence cognitive function, and both hearing and cognitive function levels influence social behavior. However, vision has little effect on cognitive function or on social behavior. For the next study, a combined model of the pre viously developed environment - >depression- > physical and social function model, and the present cognitive function model, should be tested to further refine the functional capacity model. There also a need for longitudinal study of functional capacity and sencory competence in order to better understand how declining sensory competence influences functional capacity and how it effects in-creasing dependency and nursing needs in the elderly.

• Environmental Sciences Bulletin of The Korean Environmental Sciences Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 1998

As the results of investigation, the noise level was between 60 dB and 80 dB in the area of explosion. The residents living within 1 Km would feel uncomfortable. However, hearing loss is not happened by this range. The maximum range that the human can hear is 20,000 Hz and the maximum range that the dog can hear is between 20 Hz and 40,000 Hz. The auditory range for humans to be uncomfortable toward noise is between 1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz. As the result of this experiment, the auditory range of dog is more wide than of a human. The change of hair cells in the Corti's organ occurred when the dog was exposed to 1,000 Hz at 100 dB for 1 month. Therefore, the structure change of the ear could happen by hearing loss because of noise, but the structure change of hair cells is the worst symptom by hearing loss because of noise.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.99-112
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• 2002

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of self-monitoring on spontaneously initiating speech behavior of the hearing-impaired preschoolers. Three hearing-impaired preschoolers were selected from a special school for the deaf. They showed some vocalizations and words under intensive instruction settings, but never spontaneously spoke as a means of communication. Multiple probe design was applied in this study. During the self-monitoring intervention, each child was trained to assess whether his own initiating speech behavior was occurred or not, and then record his own behavior's occurrence on the self-recording sheets and self-graphing sheets. The vibration of handphone was used as a tactile cue for self-monitoring. The results of the present study were as follows: (1) self-monitoring significantly increased the percentage of occurrence of spontaneously initiating speech behaviors. (2) Increased level of spontaneously initiating speech behavior were generalized into another natural instruction (cognitive) settings. (3) Increased level of spontaneously initiating speech behavior were maintained after four weeks from the termination of the intervention.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.217-225
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• 1998

In this paper, the analysis of the relation between noise induced hearing loss and noise exposure is described for the A-weighted noise levels and exposure duration. The hearing loss and sensitivity threshold shift is investigated by changing the various parameters such as the effects of aging and noise exposure. Total hearing loss is proportional to a function of exposure level based upon the integral of pressure with time. If the noise exposure term is large so that the presbycusis may be neglected, the hearing loss due to aging and noise exposure becomes the noise induced hearing loss. It is shown that exposure to excessive noise can cause temporary loss of hearing that may become permanent if the exposure is prolonged or intense. An audiogram taken from a person suffering from noise induced hearing loss will usually show the greatest loss of hearing sensitivity in the 4kHz region, which is typically the region most sensitive to damage resulting from many types of industrial noise.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.125-141
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting hearing loss in adolescent's use of PCPs, and to give the basic data for adolescent's hearing conservation program development and prevention education against their hearing loss. This study was a descriptive research about three factors affecting hearing loss; the knowledge and attitude about noise, the perception of hearing loss and the hearing threshold. The subjects of this study were 383 students in two general high schools and two vocational high schools in Teagu. They have been using PCPs but with no current or past ear disease. This study was carried out from Sep. 1. 2000 to Oct. 24, 2000. The instrument used for the knowledge and attitude about noise was a questionnaire developed by Rhee. Kyung Yong and Yi. Kwan Hyung(1996). The instrument used for the perception of hearing loss was a Smith Hearing Screening Questionnaire. A Belton Model 112 Audiometer. air-conduction hearing test instrument. was used for the hearing threshold. Data was analysed by a SPSS/Win 10.0 program with frequency. percentage, t-test. ANOVA and pearson correlation. The results of this study were as follows; 1. The average of concern about hearing scored the highest $3.66{\pm}0.70$. The average of perceived susceptibility scored $2.64{\pm}0.85$ and the average of knowledge about noise scored $2.13{\pm}0.56$. The average of total knowledge and attitude about noise scored $2.82{\pm}0.46$. The average of discomfort of hearing loss($2.51{\pm}0.81$) scored higher than that fear of hearing loss($1.35{\pm}0.53$). The average of total perception of hearing loss scored $1.93{\pm}0.59$. The hearing threshold of the subjects scored the highest at 500Hz(Lt. $23.21{\pm}6.62$, Rt. $23.39{\pm}7.02$) and scored higher in order of 1000Hz, 2000Hz, 4000Hz and 8000Hz. 2. The knowledge and attitude about noise and the perception of hearing loss were both affected only by one important characteristic, which was general and vocational high schools. The knowledge and attitude about noise raked (t=5.258, p=0.000), and perception of hearing loss raked(t=2.241. p=0.026). However. several other important characteristics also impacted significantly on the knowledge and attitudes about noise. They included grade (t = 1. 987. p=0.048), father's education(F=2.745. p=0.043), marks(F=3.157, p=0.044), drinking(t=2.307, p=0.022) and smoking(t=2.587, p=0.010). The left hearing threshold differed significantly by sex at 1000Hz(t=5.175, p<0.001) and 8000Hz (t=3.334, p<0.01). According to general and vocational high schools (p<0.001), at 500Hz (t=-5.056), 1000Hz (t=-5.253), 2000Hz (t=-4.905), 4000Hz (t=-4.704) and 8000Hz (t=-5.204) significant differences were also shown. Marks were significant at 1000Hz (F=3.824, p<0.05) and drinking was found to be significant at 500Hz(t=2.203, p<0.05). The right hearing threshold differed significantly by sex at l000Hz(t=5.557. p<0.001). 4000Hz(t=2.234. p<0.05) and 8000Hz (t=2.730. p<0.01). According to general and vocational high schools(p<0.001) at 500Hz (t=-4.730), 1000Hz(t=-6.271). 2000Hz (t=-4.573). 4000Hz(t=-3.554) and 8000Hz (t=-3.405) significant differences were also shown. Grades impacted at 500Hz(t=2.201. p<0.05) and 4000Hz(t=2.511. p<0.05), while marks were significant at l000Hz(F=4.1l5. p<0.05) and drinking was significant at 500Hz(t=2.333. p<0.05). 3. The left hearing threshold in accordance with use of PCPs differed significantly at 2000Hz(F=2.996. p=0.03l) according to volume level and at 8000Hz(F=2.197. p=0.022) according to duration${\times}$hours per day. The right hearing threshold differed significantly at l000Hz(F=3.075. p=0.028) according to volume level and at 8000Hz(F=2.925. p=0.034) according to duration. 4. The knowledge and attitudes about noise showed a light positive correlation with the perception of hearing loss. A positive correlation was shown. as stated previously in all Hz, between the left hearing threshold and the right hearing threshold, especially the highest correlation at 2000Hz(r=0.761. p=0.000). This study has shown that the factors related to adolescent's use of PCPs are important as they impact significantly an adolescent's hearing. These results then indicate that in future, when designing a hearing conservation program and prevention education this data should be considered.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2015

In this paper, we introduce our smart phone application for hearing impaired people. Unlike previous hearing aids application, our application has both functions of self hearing tests and sound amplification. We provide user with two types of self hearing test, those are standard hearing test and detail hearing test. Each test has different advantages like short test time and accurate test result, however both tests provide reliable result. Our hearing test allows that user can measure their hearing loss level according to the frequency. Sound amplification function provide proper fitting formula by using NAL-NL1, and it guarantees high speech intelligibility. Our application can also memorize user's fitting data at specific test condition. Therefore those who using our hearing aids application can easily reset their hearing aids / earphone properties periodically. Our application is advanced at the aspect of self fitting function that no other previous application did. So we are expecting these comfortable processes about fitting lead the number of hearing aids user to be increased.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.535-544
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• 1996

In this paper, we analyzed the coil-magnet type vibrating transducer for the implantable middle ear hearing aid which is appropriate for patient's hearing level, and an experimental transducer system is designed For the objective and quantitative analysis of the transducer, a theoretical equivalent model containing coil, magneto and inner ear is developed To perform effective evaluation of the transducer, a transforming ratio Tr is introduced and its range that is suitable for practical implantable middle ear hearing device is foun4 The result of applying physical parameters of ear system to the proposed analytical model shows that frequency response of the coil magrlet type vibrator is predominantly governed by resistive impedance of the coil rather than inertia effect of the magnet and the inner parameters. In addition, we realized an experimental middle ear hearing aid system to show the theoretical validity of designed system and this will provide the basis of the development for actually implantable system.