PURPOSE: to quantify the signal-to-noise ratios in which the sentence recognition in the noise (SRN) in the sound field can be obtained. The research aimed at subjects with normal hearing and subjects with sensorineural hearing loss and compared the results for both groups. METHOD: 62 subjects took part in the study, their age ranged from 18 to 64 years old, among these 32 had normal hearing and 30 had sensorineural hearing loss varying from mild to moderately severe degree. The exams were performed in an acoustical booth. The sentences were evaluated in the presence of a competitive noise, making use of the Sentences List in Portuguese. RESULTS: for the group of people with normal hearing, the SRN were obtained at the S/R ratio of -7,57 dB and for the group with hearing loss the SRN were obtained at the S/R ratio of -2,10 dB. The statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference between the SRN among the groups (p<0,001). CONCLUSIONS: the signal-to-noise ratios where the SRN obtained, in the sound field, and were -7,57 dB for normal hearing subjects and -2,10 dB for subjects with sensorineural hearing loss; there was a statistically significant difference among the results of the studied groups.
Audiology; Speech Discrimination Tests; Noise; Communication; Audiometry; Speech
