Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations
Introduction: Using personal protective equipment, especially face masks, in the COVID-19 pandemic era may make verbal communication difficult. Furthermore, acoustic changes in mask-wearing conditions may affect speech audiometry results. This study investigates the effect of wearing a face mask on...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tehran University of Medical Sciences
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Modern Rehabilitation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jmr.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmr/article/view/700 |
| _version_ | 1797303962132545536 |
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| author | Seyede Zohre Mousavi Mehri Maleki Mohammad Maarefvand Azadeh Borna |
| author_facet | Seyede Zohre Mousavi Mehri Maleki Mohammad Maarefvand Azadeh Borna |
| author_sort | Seyede Zohre Mousavi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction: Using personal protective equipment, especially face masks, in the COVID-19 pandemic era may make verbal communication difficult. Furthermore, acoustic changes in mask-wearing conditions may affect speech audiometry results. This study investigates the effect of wearing a face mask on the word recognition score and the role of speech frequency content in this effect.
Materials and Methods: This study was planned and conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the validity and reliability of two speech material lists, high-pitch and low-pitch, were determined. In the second phase, the word recognition score was measured for “mask-wearing” and “covering mouth without a mask.”
Results: The statistical analysis showed that the content validity ratio was 0.92, and the content validity index was 0.8. Therefore, both speech lists were valid. For these lists, the mixed analysis of variance analysis showed that the scores for “mask-wearing” were significantly lower than “covering mouth without a mask,” and there was more reduction in scores for the high-pitched list (F=8.7, df=1, P<0.005).
Conclusion: In terms of the impact of a face mask on speech, explaining how speech audiometry is performed, especially in monitoring treatments, may help limit the probability of misinterpretation of speech test findings. Furthermore, understanding the impact of face masks on word recognition scores in adopting sufficient auditory rehabilitation procedures is necessary.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:02:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d960c6c37efe4cd7813d43ce832e310f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2538-385X 2538-3868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T00:02:28Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Tehran University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Modern Rehabilitation |
| spelling | doaj.art-d960c6c37efe4cd7813d43ce832e310f2024-02-18T04:09:32ZengTehran University of Medical SciencesJournal of Modern Rehabilitation2538-385X2538-38682024-01-0118110.18502/jmr.v18i1.14729Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and LimitationsSeyede Zohre Mousavi0Mehri Maleki1Mohammad Maarefvand2Azadeh Borna3Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Department of Audiology, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Introduction: Using personal protective equipment, especially face masks, in the COVID-19 pandemic era may make verbal communication difficult. Furthermore, acoustic changes in mask-wearing conditions may affect speech audiometry results. This study investigates the effect of wearing a face mask on the word recognition score and the role of speech frequency content in this effect. Materials and Methods: This study was planned and conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the validity and reliability of two speech material lists, high-pitch and low-pitch, were determined. In the second phase, the word recognition score was measured for “mask-wearing” and “covering mouth without a mask.” Results: The statistical analysis showed that the content validity ratio was 0.92, and the content validity index was 0.8. Therefore, both speech lists were valid. For these lists, the mixed analysis of variance analysis showed that the scores for “mask-wearing” were significantly lower than “covering mouth without a mask,” and there was more reduction in scores for the high-pitched list (F=8.7, df=1, P<0.005). Conclusion: In terms of the impact of a face mask on speech, explaining how speech audiometry is performed, especially in monitoring treatments, may help limit the probability of misinterpretation of speech test findings. Furthermore, understanding the impact of face masks on word recognition scores in adopting sufficient auditory rehabilitation procedures is necessary. https://jmr.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmr/article/view/700Speech recognitionWord recognition scorePersonal protective equipmentFace maskCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Seyede Zohre Mousavi Mehri Maleki Mohammad Maarefvand Azadeh Borna Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations Journal of Modern Rehabilitation Speech recognition Word recognition score Personal protective equipment Face mask COVID-19 |
| title | Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations |
| title_full | Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations |
| title_short | Investigating the Effects of Face Mask on Word Recognition Score Test During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Considerations and Limitations |
| title_sort | investigating the effects of face mask on word recognition score test during the covid 19 outbreak considerations and limitations |
| topic | Speech recognition Word recognition score Personal protective equipment Face mask COVID-19 |
| url | https://jmr.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmr/article/view/700 |
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