ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL–Etymotic Research has released a Home Hearing Test that enables people to monitor the hearing health of family members and friends without need to go to a professional office for testing. The hearing test, which was developed by audiologists, debuted at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and is now available for purchase.
Unlike questionnaires and other screening tools, this product for consumers is the same type of test administered by hearing professionals. It includes calibrated earphones, a matched sound card, and an intuitive user interface that delivers detailed results in 10 minutes. Users can print out their reports and share them with medical professionals, if they wish. The system also determines when a person’s hearing should be checked by a licensed professional.
Gail Gudmundsen, AuD, managing director of audiology at Etymotic Research, pointed out that hearing loss is a seriously undertreated public health problem. Although about one in every six American adults reports some degree of hearing loss, fewer than 20% of them have sought help for their condition.
Gudmundsen said that Etymotic’s hearing test is part of a growing trend toward consumers monitoring their own health. This includes at-home testing of blood pressure and insulin levels and monitoring of pacemakers.
Further information about the home hearing test and how to purchase it is available online.
