NEW YORK: It’s true that wearing a mask can be uncomfortable or annoying, but, researchers have found that the use of transparent masks during communication increases comprehension of speech by about 10 percent for such people. The study, published in the journal Ear and Hearing, measured the importance of visual cues to communication for people with normal hearing and hearing loss.

In the US, two models of masks with a see-through portion in the mouth area have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Our findings show that wearing a transparent mask can facilitate communication for everyone, minimising stress and improving interaction. Protection obviously has to be the primary concern, and no clear models with proven effectiveness are sold in Brazil right now," said Regina Tangerino, Professor at the University of Sao Paulo's Bauru Dental School (FOB-USP) in Brazil.

For the study, the team posted on the internet a set of videos lasting 40 minutes, with Tangerino voicing several utterances against background noise without a mask, wearing a mask with a clear mouth panel, and wearing an opaque fabric mask. The study used 154 volunteers recruited via social media or by email and were divided into three groups based on whether they had normal hearing, or confirmed or suspected hearing loss (with or without cochlear implants or hearing aids).

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