Can teachers hear clearly? Investigating speech intelligibility and noise sensitivity in the classroom

Background

Noise-induced hearing loss has the highest risk level among occupational hearing loss. One of the professions exposed to occupational noise is teachers.

Aims

Our aim in this study was to evaluate speech intelligibility in noise and sensitivity to noise in teachers with normal hearing.

Methods

Our study included 37 teachers and 37 healthy individuals from different professional groups, aged between 25 and 60, who were not diagnosed with hearing loss. All individuals included in the study administered a form including demographic characteristics, the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), and the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale by a single practitioner in a quiet room.

Results

Comparing the speech in the Hearing in Noise Test and the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale between the two groups, a statistically significant difference was found in the HINT and the WNSS scores of the teachers compared to the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion

When the HINT test and noise sensitivities of teachers and individuals from other professional groups were evaluated, it was determined that although teachers have normal hearing, they have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments and are sensitive to noise. Teachers’ working environments should be arranged, and studies should be carried out for hearing health to reduce their professional effects.