Chart 3. Characteristics of studies that assessed auditory-perceptual effects in the integrative review.
| Title | Country/year | Design/number of patients | Intervention | Outcome | Level of Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effects of face masks on acoustic analysis and speech perception: Implications for peri-pandemic protocols(3) | Australia, 2020 | Cross-sectional study n=7 |
With intervention of mask use. | Face masks alter the speech signal, but measures of vocal quality remain unchanged. | IV |
| Impact of face masks in public spaces during COVID-19 pandemic on daily life communication of cochlear implant users(29) | Netherlands, 2020 | Prospective research study n=221 |
No intervention. | Face mask use reduces Cochlear Implant (CI) users’ quality of life. | IV |
| Effect of Wearing a Face Mask on Vocal Self-Perception during a Pandemic(30) | Brazil, 2021 |
Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study n=468 |
No intervention. | Face mask use increases the perception of symptoms and vocal discomfort, especially in individuals who used them for professional and essential activities. | IV |
| Effects of face masks on speech recognition in multi-talker babble noise(31) | USA, 2021 |
Randomized clinical trials n= 200 |
With intervention of mask use. | Different types of masks show similar accuracy at low background noise levels and more apparent at high noise levels. | II |
| Face mask type affects audiovisual speech intelligibility and subjective listening effort in young and older adults(32) | USA, 2021 |
Non-randomized controlled trial n=180 |
With intervention of mask use and environmental noise addition. | Older adults showed worse general intelligibility and classified speech as more difficult to process compared to young adults | III |
| Impact of Masks on Speech Recognition in Adult Patients with and without Hearing Loss(33) | USA, 2021 |
Case-control n=45 |
No intervention. | Dramatic decrease in word recognition scores when the provider utters words through an N95 mask and especially when the speaker is a woman. (p < 0.001; 95% CI:10-26%). | IV |
| Influence of surgical and N95 face masks on speech perception and listening effort in noise(34) | Germany, 2021 | Prospective, observational study n=17 |
No intervention. | Face masks reduce speech perception and increase listening effort in different noise signals. | IV |
| Powered air-purifying respirators used during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic significantly reduce speech perception(35) | Germany, 2021 | Cross-sectional study n = 10 |
No intervention. | The assessed powered air-purifying respirator system can be considered for high-risk procedures in SARS-CoV-2 positive cases in conjunction with a hearing protector. | IV |
| The cafeteria study: Effects of facial masks, hearing protection, and real-world noise on speech recognition(36) | USA, 2021 |
Cross-sectional study n=34 |
With intervention of mask use and environmental noise addition. | Speech recognition in real-world listening environments can be hindered by PPE worn by speakers and listeners. | IV |
| The impact of face masks on the recall of spoken sentences(37) | Germany, 2021 | Non-randomized controlled trial n=32 |
No intervention. | Listeners remembered significantly fewer words when the phrases were spoken with a face mask. | III |
| Influence of Protective Face Coverings on the Speech Recognition of Cochlear Implant Patients(38) | USA, 2021 |
Prospective cohort study n=23 |
No intervention. | The type and combination of protective face coverings used have differential effects on the attenuation of speech information, influencing the speech recognition of patients with hearing loss. | IV |
| Communication with face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic for adults with hearing loss(39) | Canada, 2022 |
Cross-sectional study n=656 |
No intervention. | Increased public awareness and use of a transparent mask were determined to be examples of practical supports for effective social interaction. | IV |
| How Face Masks Interfere With Speech Understanding of Normal-Hearing Individuals: Vision Makes the Difference(40) | Germany, 2022 | Prospective cohort study n=15 |
Different experimental conditions with and without simulated face masks using the audio-visual version of the female German matrix test. | Face mask use by the speaker leads to a deterioration in speech understanding by the listener. | IV |