The whispered voice test detects hearing impairment in adults and children, but needs to be standardised

Question

How accurate is the whispered voice test in detecting hearing impairment in adults and children?

Study design

Systematic review.

Main results

Seventeen primary reports were found (eight studies met inclusion criteria: four in 290 adults aged 17–89 years; four in 716 children aged 3–12 years). The quality of reporting in the majority of studies was low. There was heterogeneity in the methods, reliability, and reproducibility of the studies. Only one adult study met all quality criteria. In adults, the sensitivity of the whispered voice test was 90–100% and the specificity ranged from 70% to 87%. In children, sensitivity was 80–96% and specificity ranged from 90% to 99%.

Authors’ conclusions

The whispered voice test detects hearing impairment and is both simple and accurate. Further investigation should determine why sensitivity is apparently lower when used on children. Standardisation of the technique should be promoted.