The Effect of Personal Face Mask Use on Hearing Sensitivity Awareness

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: The speech information obtained from the acoustic cue alone is not sufficient. The visual component of speech is crucial for speech perception. This study aims to show that individual hearing sensitivity awareness has increased due to the blocking of visual components of speech as a result of the use of personal face masks with the Covid 19 pandemic. Subjects and Methods: A scale was prepared with questions that measured individuals’ ability to use auditory stimuli in various conditions before and after the pandemic. The scale prepared consists of two sections and a total of 15 items. The questions in the first section are about pre-pandemic hearing loss awareness, and the second section is about post pandemic hearing loss awareness. The age average of 1046 people included in the study was 49.47 ± 11.06. Results: Those who do not feel the need to repeat what was spoken in face-to-face meetings before the pandemic need to repeat what was spoken significantly after the pandemic (p<0.001). The findings show the increased need to repeat spoken words in individuals who wear face masks. Also, people have trouble recognizing speech in noisy environments is due to the absence of visual speech cues, compared to the absence of such trouble before the pandemic. Conclusion: The use of personal face masks in the post-pandemic period has changed the awareness of individual hearing sensitivity due to the disappearance of the visual element of speech.