Personal Protective Equipment Effects

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 transmits through droplets; thus, oral, nasal, and conjunctival mucosas are related to contamination, and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) is strongly suggested. Several communication problems between the patient and healthcare workers related to PPE use are reported. In this study, investigators aimed to investigate changes in the acoustic parameters of speech sounds when different PPE are used.

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Key information

Conditions

Speech Disorders Communication Disorders Language Disorders Laryngeal Diseases Nervous System Diseases Neurobehavioral Manifestations Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Respiratory Tract Diseases Signs and Symptoms Voice Disorders

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Istanbul Medeniyet University

Istanbul, 34722, Turkey (Türkiye)

About this study

It was planned as a cross-sectional study enrolled 18 healthy male and female participants. After the informed consent, participants were asked to pronounce a [ɑː] vowel for at least 3 seconds for voice quality estimation. Afterward, all Turkish vowels were produced for a minimum of 200 ms. Finally, three Turkish fricative consonants ([f], [s], [ʃ]) were produced in consonant/vowel/consonant format and in different vowel contexts within a carrier sentence. Recordings were repeated for the following conditions: no PPE, surgical-mask, N99-mask, face shield, surgical-mask+faceshield, and N99+faceshield. All recordings were analyzed with proper statistical methods.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

native Turkish speakers

Exclusion criteria

having an acute respiratory system infection history of any vocal fold surgery

Treatment and study plan

mask use

Device

face mask use

Primary outcomes

The change on voice acoustics due to different personal protective equipments use

Time frame: 1 months

speech material for six different conditions: no PPE,surgical mask,N99 mask,face shield,surgical mask+ face shield, N99+face shield were recorded with a microphone.Recordings were performed in a random order. Obtained speech records were segmented according to the speech material and saved. Each of the segmented files was analyzed using Praat software and related scripts. The voice quality parameters were estimated on sustained [ɑː] vowels via Praat software (Praat is an open source software which enables voice acoustics analysis). Mean values of the different formant frequencies and formant bandwidth frequency values at midpoints of the analyzed segments of the vowels were measured. Spectral moments of the consonants were measured. The formant and spectral moment were measured using Praat scripts. All outcome measurements are in Hertz (Hz), so all measurements are held in primary outcome 1 measure section.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Istanbul Medeniyet University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of Personal Protective Equipment on Speech Acoustics

Important dates

Study start: 2020
Primary completion: 2021
Study completion: 2021
First posted: May 11, 2022
Registry last updated: May 16, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed