Powered air-purifying respirators used during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly reduce speech perception.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, interventions in the upper airways are considered high-risk procedures for otolaryngologists and their colleagues. The purpose of this study was to evaluate limitations in hearing and communication when using a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) system to protect against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and to assess the benefit of a headset.

Methods

Acoustic properties of the PAPR system were measured using a head and torso simulator. Audiological tests (tone audiometry, Freiburg speech test, Oldenburg sentence test (OLSA)) were performed in normal-hearing subjects (n = 10) to assess hearing with PAPR. The audiological test setup also included simulation of

SUBMITTER: Weiss R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8481762 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature