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The combination of piezoelectric ceramics with silicon nanomembranes can provide a unique combination of electronic and mechanical functionality. For example, an integrated remotely accessible sensor/actuator can serve as a sound transducer to be placed on the tympanic membrane of the human ear. Such an implant would enable direct sound transmission in the kHz range via down‐conversion of a modulated carrier signal at radio frequency. The viability of this concept is demonstrated via a specific design of the nanomembrane bonded over a hole in the piezoelectric chip as well as driving this chip to create a strong nonlinear mechanical response in the nanomembrane. The response in the audible‐frequency range and the result is demonstrated by modulating the piezoelectric chip with a C‐major audible tune—the tone ladder—and retrieving this sound by an optical readout method. Finally, to prove the possibility of remote actuation of the nanomembrane, an antenna on the chip is integrated and the wide‐band transmission from a mobile source is simulated. It is concluded that a remotely actuated invisible hearing aid is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveDesignStudy sampleResultsConclusionsExploring applications of automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech technologies in hearing assessment and evaluations of hearing aids.Review protocol was registered at the INPLASY database and was performed following the PRISMA scoping review guidelines. A search in ten databases was conducted in January 2023 and updated in June 2024.Studies that used automatic speech recognition or text-to-speech to assess measures of hearing ability (e.g. speech reception threshold), or to configure hearing aids were retrieved. Of the 2942 records found, 28 met the inclusion criteria.The results indicated that text-to-speech could effectively replace recorded stimuli in speech intelligibility tests, requiring less effort for experimenters, without negatively impacting outcomes (n = 5). Automatic speech recognition captured verbal responses accurately, allowing for reliable speech reception threshold measurements without human supervision (n = 7). Moreover, automatic speech recognition was employed to simulate participants’ hearing, with high correlations between simulated and empirical data (n = 14). Finally, automatic speech recognition was used to optimise hearing aid configurations, leading to higher speech intelligibility for wearers compared to the original configuration (n = 3).There is the potential for automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech systems to enhance accessibility of, and efficiency in, hearing assessments, offering unsupervised testing options, and facilitating hearing aid personalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hearing aid (HA) manufacturers have introduced behind-the-ear (BTE) models where the microphone is positioned in the ear canal, which could impact auditory performance by distorting the pinna's acoustic cues. This study aimed to compare two different BTE HAs with varying microphone positions: the receiver in the ear (RITE) and the transducer in the ear (TIE). Methods: The study involved 10 participants who had never used HAs before. They used both RITE and TIE HAs bilaterally for 3 weeks. Auditory performance was assessed through free field hearing assessments (hearing thresholds, speech recognition threshold, and speech discrimination score), the Turkish Matrix Sentence Test (TURMatrix), a sound localization test, and the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Living (SADL) questionnaire. Results: There was no significant difference between TIE and RITE in the free field hearing assessments. However, TIE outperformed RITE in non-adaptive TURMatrix scores in quiet, adaptive TURMatrix scores in noise, and sound localization accuracy at various angles. SADL sub-scores (Positive Effect, Service and Cost, and Personal Image) and overall satisfaction scores were significantly better for TIE. Discussion: The microphone position in HAs can influence auditory performance. This study demonstrated that TIE provided better speech intelligibility, localization accuracy, and user satisfaction compared to RITE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The ability to localize sound sources is crucial for everyday listening, as it contributes to spatial awareness and the detection of warning signs. Individuals with hearing impairment have poorer localization abilities, which further deteriorate when they are fitted with a hearing aid. Although numerous studies have addressed this phenomenon, there is a lack of systematic evidence. The aim of the current systematic review is to address the following research question, "Do behavioural measures of spatial hearing ability improve with bilateral hearing aid fitting compared to the unaided hearing condition?" Design: A comprehensive search was conducted by two independent authors utilizing electronic databases, using various electronic databases, covering the period of 1965 to 2022. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were formulated using the Population, Intervention, Compression, Outcome, and Study design (PICOS) format, and the certainty of evidence was determined using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. Results: The comprehensive search resulted in 2199 studies, 17 studies for qualitative synthesis and 15 studies for quantitative synthesis. The collected data was divided into two groups, namely vertical and horizontal localization. The results of the quantitative analysis indicate that the localization performance was significantly better in the unaided condition for both vertical and horizontal planes. The certainty of our evidence was judged to be moderate, meaning that "we are moderately confident in the effect estimate. The true effect is likely to be close to the estimate of the effect, but there is a possibility that it is substantially different". Conclusion: The review findings demonstrate that the bilateral fitting of the hearing aid did not effectively preserve spatial cues, which resulted in poorer localization performance irrespective of the plane of assessment. Review Registration: Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO); CRD42022358164 IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Hearing aids are a widely used rehabilitative method to compensate for the loss of audibility in individuals with hearing impairment. The current review highlights that, even though hearing aids can enhance audibility, they often fail to preserve spatial cues. This review paper provides a comprehensive summary of the existing literature, focusing on the preservation of spatial cues by hearing aids and the technologies that can enhance localization performance to a certain degree. The findings of the current study encourage both researchers and hearing aid manufacturers to advance their research methods pertaining to the preservation of spatial cues. This advancement has the potential to improve spatial awareness and possibly improve speech perception in the presence of noise in hearing aid users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPurposeMethodResultConclusionThe purpose of this review was to map speech intelligibility measures used for assessing d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing children onto the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.This review considered perceptual speech intelligibility measures (Articulation functions b320) used to assess deaf and hard-of-hearing children aged 12 years and younger. The following electronic databases were searched: CINAHL; ERIC (ProQuest); Linguistic, Language, and Behaviour Abstracts; Scopus; Medline via PubMed; CENTRAL via Ovid; Cochrane via Ovid; and Joanna Briggs via Ovid. Data were extracted describing the article, participant, listener, study, speech intelligibility, and psychometric characteristics from the 245 included studies.Speech intelligibility was measured as articulation functions (b320) through speaking (d330) in all studies. Other Body Functions frequently measured were speech discrimination (b2304; 28%) and mental functions of language (b167; 27%). Activities and Participation factors other than speaking d330 were generally not considered. Speech intelligibility was most often measured in the context of health services (e5800; 66%).Previous research on the speech intelligibility of deaf and hard-of-hearing children has largely lacked a broader perspective of functioning. Clinicians and educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing children should consider Activities and Participation, Environmental, and Personal Factors when assessing speech intelligibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The specific objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to translate and adapt the English version of the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) into Hindi, (2) to present data obtained from the hearing aid users, (3) and to investigate the effect of different factors on effective hearing aid use using the Hindi version of the IOI-HA. Method: The English version of IOI-HA was translated to Hindi by three native Hindi speakers who were proficient in both Hindi and English and had Hindi as their first language. The Hindi version of IOI-HA along with a demographic questionnaire was given to 100 experienced hearing aid users who were literate and more than 18 years of age. Results: The findings indicated 53% of individuals utilize their hearing aids for over 8 h daily, while 46% use them for 4 to 8 h a day. A greater number of participants experienced benefits from wearing their hearing aids, suggesting their overall effectiveness for users. Also, 64% of people said their HA was fulfilling their expectations. Sixty-seven percent of participants said life has become quite a lot better with HA usage. The results revealed that age, gender, and type of hearing loss showed no significant association with any test item. Conclusion: The Hindi version of the IOI-HA has proven to be a valuable self-assessment tool for hearing aid users. It aids clinicians and audiological practitioners in comprehending the challenges faced by users and can offer guidance for counseling and assessing the benefits derived from hearing aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the benefits of proper guidance and proper use of hearing aid in language development age. Study Design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of ENT, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Karachi Medical and Dental College. Period: January 2022 to December 2023. Methods: In this study those cases were included which came with hearing loss. Both sexes were included in this study. After informed consent complete history and examination was done. Also relevant investigations were performed where required. Results: In this study, male were 72 (60%), male female ratio was 1.5:1. Highest number of patients were between the age of 6-8 years 60 (50%). Between 1.5 to 3 years, 51 children were properly guided and followed the proper instruction of use of hearing aid while 9 children were not properly guided and not properly used of hearing aid. 92 patients (76.6%) used hearing aid consistent with proper guidance, in which 79 (85.8%) children developed good speech and language. while 13 (14.1%) children were found poor in speech and language development while 28 (23.33%) children did not use hearing aid properly and all found poor in speech and language. Conclusion: Proper use of hearing aid which may be beneficial in improvement of word recognition and speech development in hearing impaired child under proper guidance and training from otologist and audiologist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Health Sciences / Türkiye Klinikleri Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: We compared and analyzed the surgical results of fat myringoplasty between elderly and young adult patients with chronic otitis media. We also investigated whether underlying diseases and other factors impact the surgical outcome. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 141 patients who underwent fat myringoplasty for chronic otitis media for five years. They were compared by age, sex, underlying disease, perforation size, pre- and postoperative pure tone audiometry, postoperative otorrhea, postoperative re-perforation, and cause of re-perforation. Result: Postoperative re-perforation was more common in the elderly group, albeit with no significant difference (p = 0.072). The factors affecting re-perforation were insufficient fat graft (44.4%), postoperative infection (33.3%), and nasal blowing (22.2%). Our findings revealed no significant association between preoperative perforation size and re-perforation (p = 0.391). Additionally, we found no significant relationship between hypertension and re-perforation (p > 0.99), nor between age group and postoperative infection (p = 0.488). Diabetes was also not significant (p = 0.640). Following surgery, both groups exhibited a significant improvement in hearing. Conclusion: Although age and underlying conditions play significant roles in the healing process, our results suggest that external factors such as infection, nasal blowing, cough, and insufficient grafted fat tissue have a similarly significant impact on surgical outcomes in elderly patients with COM as they do in adults. In conclusion, the decision to perform surgery in elderly patients with COM should be based on a comprehensive assessment of the patient's overall health status, hearing, use of hearing aids, and the indications for surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing loss affects over 1.5 billion individuals globally, with significant implications for mental health. This study investigates the association between hearing aid use and mental health outcomes, by particularly focusing on depression and unmet mental health needs (UMHN), across a diverse international sample. Utilizing data from the third wave of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS), this study involved 17,660 participants with hearing impairment from 28 countries. The study examined the association between hearing aid use and mental health outcomes, including the likelihood of moderate and severe depression and UMHN due to lack of contact with general practitioners (GPs) and mental health specialists. Logistic regression models, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics, health risk behaviours, and other relevant variables, were employed. Inverse probability weights were used to mitigate potential selection bias. Hearing aid usage was associated with significantly lower likelihoods of moderate depression (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95%CI = [0.54, 0.63]) and severe depression (OR = 0.61, 95%CI = [0.55, 0.69]), compared to non-usage. Hearing aid usage was also associated with reduced UMHN due to lack of GP contact for moderate (OR = 0.82, 95%CI = [0.75, 0.89]) and severe depression (OR = 0.75, 95%CI = [0.59, 0.95]). The depression risk reductions were greater among females and higher-educated subgroups but lower in individuals aged ≥65 years. Income level and rurality also impacted UMHN due to the lack of GP contact. No associations were found between hearing aids and UMHN due to the lack of mental health specialist contact. Hearing aid adoption showed protective associations against mood disorders and lowered unmet primary mental healthcare needs. Tailoring intervention strategies to vulnerable sociodemographic profiles could optimize mental health benefits among those with hearing loss. Integrating hearing health services within mental healthcare delivery frameworks is vital amidst the rising global burden. • There is little insight into hearing aids' impact on mental health and unmet mental health needs (UMHN). • Hearing aid use was associated with lower rates of depression and UMHN, bases on 17,000 participants from 28 countries. • The findings advocate for integrating hearing health into mental health frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A delay in a child's capacity to develop language is one of the impacts of hearing loss. Children use amplification devices so they can develop spoken language skills comparable or equivalent to those of their peers without hearing loss. The aim of the study was to detect the effect of using different amplification devices on the development of the language in children. Methods: The study included three groups of 5-8 years old children, who used different hearing devices and had bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. Each group consisted of ten children; one using binaural hearing aids, the second had a unilateral cochlear implant, and the third group received a bimodal fitting. They were submitted to the following: history taking, intelligence and mental status examination, auditory performance assessment, and Language assessment. Results: Bimodal and cochlear implant users have a significantly better aided response, speech understanding, and language performance than hearing aid users. There is a negative, moderate correlation between the aided hearing thresholds and treatment-related factors. Conversely, there is a positive, moderate correlation between the word recognition score, revised categories of auditory perception scale, language performance and the treatment-related factors. Conclusions: The aided responses and language development were better among studied cases with cochlear implants and cases with bimodal hearing than cases with hearing aids. Consequently, it is crucial to assess auditory performance and language skills in each child with severe to profound hearing loss individually in terms of hearing aid benefit and the need for cochlear implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This systematic review examined the audiological and non-audiological factors that influence hearing aid use, benefit and satisfaction in adults based on studies published during the last decade (2010 and 2023). Design: Studies were identified by using PRISMA guidelines for systematic searches on five platforms (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, EBSCOhost including CINAHL and Academic Search Complete). The National Institute of Health Quality assessment tool and the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine tool were used for quality assessment and grading of level of evidence. Results: Forty-six articles were included in the review. A total of 101 significant factors influencing hearing aid use (n = 47), benefit (n = 17) and satisfaction (n = 37) were identified. Clear determinants of hearing aid use, benefit and satisfaction included hearing sensitivity, self-reported hearing difficulty, speech perception, attitude and beliefs. 34 cross-sectional studies in this review were graded level 4, 9 cohort studies rated level 3, and 3 randomised control trials rated level 2. Conclusion: Factors associated with hearing aid outcomes identified in the past decade support previous evidence. New factors like social networks and service-delivery models, have also been identified. These factors require further investigations through high quality studies to further strengthen existing evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Praxis of Otorhinolaryngology / Kulak Burun Boğaz Uygulamaları is the property of Official Journal of ENT-HNS Society of Istanbul and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Purpose The specific objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to translate and adapt the English version of the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) into Hindi, (2) to present data obtained from the hearing aid users, (3) and to investigate the effect of different factors on effective hearing aid use using the Hindi version of the IOI-HA. Method The English version of IOI-HA was translated to Hindi by three native Hindi speakers who were proficient in both Hindi and English and had Hindi as their first language. The Hindi version of IOI-HA along with a demographic questionnaire was given to 100 experienced hearing aid users who were literate and more than 18 years of age. Results The findings indicated 53% of individuals utilize their hearing aids for over 8 h daily, while 46% use them for 4 to 8 h a day. A greater number of participants experienced benefits from wearing their hearing aids, suggesting their overall effectiveness for users. Also, 64% of people said their HA was fulfilling their expectations. Sixty-seven percent of participants said life has become quite a lot better with HA usage. The results revealed that age, gender, and type of hearing loss showed no significant association with any test item. Conclusion The Hindi version of the IOI-HA has proven to be a valuable self-assessment tool for hearing aid users. It aids clinicians and audiological practitioners in comprehending the challenges faced by users and can offer guidance for counseling and assessing the benefits derived from hearing aids.

Abstract Background We compared and analyzed the surgical results of fat myringoplasty between elderly and young adult patients with chronic otitis media. We also investigated whether underlying diseases and other factors impact the surgical outcome. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 141 patients who underwent fat myringoplasty for chronic otitis media for five years. They were compared by age, sex, underlying disease, perforation size, pre- and postoperative pure tone audiometry, postoperative otorrhea, postoperative re-perforation, and cause of re-perforation. Result Postoperative re-perforation was more common in the elderly group, albeit with no significant difference (p = 0.072). The factors affecting re-perforation were insufficient fat graft (44.4%), postoperative infection (33.3%), and nasal blowing (22.2%). Our findings revealed no significant association between preoperative perforation size and re-perforation (p = 0.391). Additionally, we found no significant relationship between hypertension and re-perforation (p > 0.99), nor between age group and postoperative infection (p = 0.488). Diabetes was also not significant (p = 0.640). Following surgery, both groups exhibited a significant improvement in hearing. Conclusion Although age and underlying conditions play significant roles in the healing process, our results suggest that external factors such as infection, nasal blowing, cough, and insufficient grafted fat tissue have a similarly significant impact on surgical outcomes in elderly patients with COM as they do in adults. In conclusion, the decision to perform surgery in elderly patients with COM should be based on a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s overall health status, hearing, use of hearing aids, and the indications for surgery.

Bone conduction systems are sometimes not well tolerated due to the tension on the skull. Therefore, a brand non-surgical device was developed, the ADHEAR (MED-EL, Innsbruck, Austria). It is based on a novel fixation system using an adhesive adapter, which allows for a more comfortable and efficient mechanical transmission of the acoustic signal and that can be used as treatment for conductive hearing loss. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the performance of ADHEAR in two patients with unilateral conductive hearing loss. An 8-years-old patient with external ear canal stenosis obtained a functional gain of 28.75 dB, while a 16-years-old patient with Goldenhar syndrome showed a recovery of 53.75 dB. Therefore, both cases suggest that ADHEAR appears to be an effective treatment for pediatric patients who due to the medical condition cannot be treated surgically or fitted with conventional hearing aids.

Purpose: Hearing aid fitting can be challenging when tinnitus accompanies hearing loss, as speech intelligibility and quality of life are affected by both hearing loss and tinnitus perception. However, studies focusing on the optimal hearing aid fitting for this group are scarce. Here, we aim to investigate the performance of alternative hearing aid fitting scenarios in improving hearing aid benefit and managing tinnitus. Methods: Sixty-six participants were included in the study and randomly divided into three groups based on the fitting formula: NAL-NL2, DSL pediatric and hybrid gain fitting procedure (covering NAL-NL2 for low frequencies and DSL pediatric formulas for high frequencies). Hearing aid benefit was evaluated using the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) questionnaire and speech perception in noise (SPIN). To evaluate tinnitus perception, psychoacoustic characteristics of tinnitus were determined, and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) was gathered. Results: The NAL-NL2 fitting procedure showed better results in hearing aid benefit and SPIN compared to the DSL pediatric procedure. In the DSL pediatric procedure, better results were obtained in tinnitus management compared to NAL-NL2. There was no difference between the hybrid fitting procedure and DSL pediatric in tinnitus management. The hybrid fitting procedure also did not differ from NAL-NL2 in SPIN and hearing aid benefit. Conclusion: Here, we propose a hybrid gain fitting procedure that can be a better alternative to boost hearing aid performance and tinnitus management in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many auditory system functions improve under the influence of music. The binaural hearing also plays a critical role in speech-in-noise perception. The present study was done to investigate the effect of music on speech-in-noise perception in binaural and monaural hearing aid users. This study was conducted on 40 unilateral and bilateral hearing aid users aged 25 to 55, including 23 female and 17 male individuals. The Q-SIN test and SSQ questionnaire were used to investigate the effect of music on speech-in-noise perception before and after the treatment. Results of the Q-SIN test showed that music reduced SNR-50 and SNR LOSS, which was more evident in bilateral hearing aid users (p < 0.05). Results of the SSQ questionnaire also indicated that after the 3-month reevaluation, the questionnaire scores increased, and the increase was higher in the bilateral hearing aid users (p < 0.05). Regularly listening to music on a programmed basis improves speech-in-noise perception. Results of the present study showed that bilateral hearing aids had a higher effect on improving speech-in-noise perception than unilateral hearing aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing aids (HAs), especially those with sound generators (SGs), are used in the management of tinnitus. However, their comparative efficacies and long-term outcomes remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy and long-term outcomes of tinnitus therapy using various HA SG models. We retrospectively reviewed 666 patients with chronic tinnitus characterized by persistent symptoms for >6 months. At the initial visit, the patients received educational counselling on tinnitus (Utsunomiya method) and completed a comprehensive questionnaire comprising the tinnitus handicap inventory, a visual analog scale, the state–trait anxiety inventory, and the emotional intelligence scale. The scores were compared among various models of HA SGs and SGs. The patients underwent follow-ups for up to 2 years. Our results indicated that tinnitus retraining therapy using SGs and conventional HAs effectively managed chronic tinnitus. The prolonged use of HAs appeared to exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, emphasizing the superior long-term effectiveness of SG HAs, particularly ZEN (Widex ZEN, WS Audiology, Lynge, Denmark). Our findings indicate that HAs are useful in the first year, but their prolonged use may exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, whereas HA SGs are effective in the long term. Future studies should account for the variations in tinnitus treatment effects based on the type of sound employed.

Background: Children with hearing impairment have difficulties affecting their ability to understand speech and general communication development. It is essential to understand the background of the factors affecting young children's speech intelligibility in the Pakistani setting. Objective: To explore the factors affecting speech intelligibility among children with hearing impairment. Methods: A total of n=107 individuals were selected for the 6-month study at GMT clinic, Siemens Hearing Clinic, Hearing and Speech Care Clinic, and RHS in Islamabad using non-probability convenience sampling. Children between the ages of 6 and 12 who had mild to profound sensorineural hearing loss and could express themselves at the phrase level met the inclusion criteria. Speech-impairing conditions and progressive or conductive hearing loss were included in the exclusion criteria. Using the Assessing Intelligibility Worksheet, data was collected, in which 17 utterances with 57 words spoken by the therapist participants were repeated and the responses were noted by the therapist. Multiple linear regression, descriptive statistics, and percentage distribution were all analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: A multiple regression model was run to predict intelligibility utterance from age, gender, type of hearing aid, technology of hearing aid, degrees of hearing loss, and talkativeness. This model significantly predicted speech intelligibility of hearing aid users {F (8, 98) = 42.905, p

Hearing aids (HAs), especially those with sound generators (SGs), are used in the management of tinnitus. However, their comparative efficacies and long-term outcomes remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy and long-term outcomes of tinnitus therapy using various HA SG models. We retrospectively reviewed 666 patients with chronic tinnitus characterized by persistent symptoms for >6 months. At the initial visit, the patients received educational counselling on tinnitus (Utsunomiya method) and completed a comprehensive questionnaire comprising the tinnitus handicap inventory, a visual analog scale, the state–trait anxiety inventory, and the emotional intelligence scale. The scores were compared among various models of HA SGs and SGs. The patients underwent follow-ups for up to 2 years. Our results indicated that tinnitus retraining therapy using SGs and conventional HAs effectively managed chronic tinnitus. The prolonged use of HAs appeared to exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, emphasizing the superior long-term effectiveness of SG HAs, particularly ZEN (Widex ZEN, WS Audiology, Lynge, Denmark). Our findings indicate that HAs are useful in the first year, but their prolonged use may exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, whereas HA SGs are effective in the long term. Future studies should account for the variations in tinnitus treatment effects based on the type of sound employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While targeted rehabilitation can enhance hearing aid self-efficacy (HASE), little research has been done to determine the factors contributing to its predictive value. By investigating the experiences of individuals who successfully use HAs and have high levels of HASE, we hoped to illuminate specific strategies and/or sources of support these individuals share that might explain why high HASE is often linked to successful outcomes. This qualitative study explored the experiences of five older adults who were successful HA users and reported having high HASE. Semi-structured interview guides were developed using the transtheoretical model of behavioral change as a framework. Interviews were analyzed thematically and holistically. Participants attributed their HA success to: intrinsic motivation to improve their hearing, confident self-reliance when making health decisions, willingness to act on advice from trusted others, pro-social personal attributes, positive expectations about HA outcomes, and actively pursuing an optimal HA outcome. For these participants, internal factors related to emotional state and source of motivation, and, to a lesser extent, verbal persuasion played a crucial role in their long-term success. This suggests that external influencers might be less impactful in facilitating success for those with high HASE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bone-anchored hearing instruments (BAHIs) are an important alternative solution for hearing loss in a particular group of patients. This study aims to examine shifts in attitudes about BAHIs among hearing health professionals over time. Methods: A survey was designed to assess the knowledge and attitude of otorhinol aryngologists (ENT) and audiologists (Au) concerning BAHIs. The survey was administered in 2019 and 2023 at various conferences. Results: The survey received 243 responses (122 in 2019 and 121 in 2023). Among these, 186 (77%) were from ENTs, while 49 (20%) were from Aus. Notably, the preference for using BAHI for conductive and mixed hearing loss cases increased from 19.3% to 47.9%. The number of individuals with prior experience decreased, yet those who applied BAHIs grew. Signifcant shifts were observed in patient selection based on hearing level, hearing loss type, and clinical condition. The profession and experience emerged as infuential factors in these changes. Conclusion: While most subjects recognized the signifcance of hearing rehabilitation, their fundamental knowledge and familiarity with BAHIs remained limited. A broader implementation of educational and training initiatives focusing on BAHIs is essential to enhance understanding and profciency in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hearing aid adoption rate among older adults in Japan is lower than that in other developed countries. Herein, a survey was conducted to identify this bottleneck and develop countermeasures. This study aimed to examine whether raising awareness of the relationship between hearing loss and dementia is significant for hearing tests and adopting hearing aids. A questionnaire was administered to participants aged 65 or older who visited a general hospital to determine the background factors (1) for a recent history of hearing tests, (2) for the desire to visit an otolaryngologist and have a hearing test, (3) for recognizing the hearing loss–dementia relationship, and (4) for adopting hearing aids. A total of 517 patients (mean age, 78.06; SD 6.97), representing 2.4% of the region's older-adult population, participated in the survey. A history of hearing tests within five years was significantly associated with recognizing the hearing loss–dementia relationship (adjusted OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.49–3.72). The desire to visit an otolaryngologist or have a hearing test was significantly associated with recognizing the hearing loss–dementia relationship (adjusted OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.02–2.85). Moreover, 39.3% were aware of the hearing loss–dementia relationship. The significant associated factors were being female (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.64–3.81) and having interpersonal hobbies (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.11–2.49). The significant background factors for adopting hearing aids were older age (OR 6.95, 95% CI 1.90–25.40), self-reported severe hearing impairment (OR 5.49, 95% CI 2.55–11.80), and living alone (OR 2.63, 95% CI 1.18–5.89). Recognizing the hearing loss–dementia relationship was not a significant factor. Raising awareness of the hearing loss–dementia relationship was not associated with adopting hearing aids for self-reported hearing impairments. However, it may be associated with otolaryngology visits and hearing tests. Thus, steps like hearing screening for older adults are also essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Age-related cognitive decline involves a complex set of factors. Among these factors, hearing loss is considered to have a significant impact, but the effect of hearing aid use remains unresolved. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of hearing aid use by simultaneously assessing various factors not only cognitive function but also frailty, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with hearing loss. The cross-sectional study at the Hearing Aid (HA) Center was conducted between 2020 and 2021. Initially, associations with cognitive function, QOL, frailty, and mental state among patients with hearing loss were examined, irrespective of whether they wore a hearing aid or not. Next, these patients were divided into HA users (using HA for more than 1 year) and non-users (no prior use of HA) with 42 patients in each group. The average age and 6-frequency pure tone audiometry (PTA) was 74.5 ± 6.5 years and 50.6 ± 12.1 dB, respectively. All participants filled out the questionnaire about their life style, medical condition. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive function, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale for mental state, Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2) for QOL, and Kihon Checklist for frailty were compared between HA users and non-users and correlated with the auditory data (PTA and speech discrimination). Among 84 patients, 40 had an MMSE score ≦26. All eight scores and three components of SF-36v2 were lower than those of the control group. The patients with hypertension were significantly more in HA user than in non-HA user, whereas there was no difference in diabetes, heart attack, stroke and education. Although HA users were older and showed hypertension more their PTA was worse than that of non-users, MMSE scores were not different between the groups. MMSE scores correlated with both PTA and speech discrimination in non-users but not in HA users. However, a multivariate analysis of the effect of HA use on MMSE scores adjusting for age, hypertension, and hearing loss, could not be revealed. The vitality and mental component summary of the SF-36v2 was better in HA users than in non-users. Elderly patients with hearing loss were cognitively impaired and had low QOL. HA users showed better QOL score than non-HA user, especially about the mental condition. The absence of a correlation between MMSE scores and hearing loss in HA users suggests the potential use of HA in preventing cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unusual to see complications with the preparation of ear mold in order to get hearing aids for children who are in need. However, we came across 2 cases who had a foreign body retained in the middle ear after a long period of time from taking silicon mold impression for hearing aid fitting. One patient presented after 2 years, and the other patient presented after 10 years of hearing aid fitting. We are reporting 2 cases with silicon impression material left in the middle ear for a long period of time after taking an impression for hearing aid fitting and found unexpectedly during exploratory tympanotomy. These reported cases are among the few cases reported worldwide without clear known incidence. This necessitates proper examination by otolaryngologists and the audiologists who are responsible for taking the impression to prevent such complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate retrospectively the frequency of usage of bimodal stimulation among cochlear implant (CI) users, as well its clinical benefit relative to unilateral use. All subjects had been monitored with the clinical Minimal Outcome Measurements test battery. 103 adults with bilateral postlingual profound sensorineural hearing loss and unilateral CI use were extracted from the local database. These were divided into two groups: those who only used a CI and those who used bimodal stimulation. The preoperative contralateral residual hearing in the bimodal group was significantly better than that of the CI-only group. In both groups, speech perception in quiet and in noise improved after CI, with no significant difference between postoperative unimodal conditions. For the bimodal group, an additional significant improvement was found for the bimodal condition compared to the unimodal. Given the observed auditory benefit of bimodal stimulation in comparison to unimodal stimulation and given the finding that degree of residual hearing is not correlated with bimodal benefits, it is recommended to encourage CI recipients to continue contralateral HA use after CI. As a result of expanding CI criteria worldwide, the population of bimodal users is expected to grow in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Microphone and Receiver in the ear (M&RIE) hearing aid is designed to consider the pinna cues by placing an additional microphone along with a standard receiver at the entrance of the ear canal. There is a need to clinically validate the technology using speech identification measures, as a literature shortage exists. The objective of the study was to evaluate speech identification and quality rating with hearing aids fitted with standard and M&RIE receivers. Method: Twenty individuals (mean ± SD age being 34.10 ± 11.9 years) with mild-to-moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss were divided into two groups: naïve and experienced. Their speech identification obtained using the receiver in the ear hearing aid compatible with standard and M&RIE receivers were compared. The study assessed speech identification in quiet using ten sentences, calculated SNR-50 using the Spearman–Karber equation, and used an 11-point scale for self-perceived quality rating. Results: The study analyzed data using SPSS and found no significant difference between naive and experienced hearing aid users in quiet and SNR-50 conditions (p > 0.05). However, naive users rated higher in clarity, naturalness, pleasantness, and overall impression of standard receiver settings. Across different receiver settings, both naïve and experienced groups revealed better speech identification with the M&RIE receiver for both SIS (p < 0.05) and SNR-50 (p < 0.05) measures. Conclusion: The study found that placing a third microphone in the ear canal improves speech identification and quality rating in both naïve and experienced users, with pinna and ear canal resonance playing a crucial role in prescribing hearing aid gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionTo provide better access to hearing aids and lower the devices' costs for patients with mild to moderate hearing loss, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changed its rules for hearing aid distribution, making them available to consumers over-the-counter without the supervision, involvement, or prescription of a licensed health care professional. While this regulation provides some patients direct access to hearing aids, the hearing aid fitting creates challenges for the patients and the hearing aid providers. OTC hearing aids should be programmable outside of a clinical setting. This study demonstrates that the self-fitting of hearing aids does not differ significantly from and is non-inferior to the fitting of the device by a licensed audiologist.MethodHearing aid and patient performance after fitting the device by the patient (self-fitting) and a certified audiologist (clinical fitting) were compared in a laboratory setting and a field trial. The laboratory session used a repeated-measures design to assess the reliability and validity of the self-fitting method. A 7–14 days of wear time was used for the field study. The outcome measures for the laboratory session were the differences in acoustical real-ear aided response (REAR). For the wear-time trial, the outcome was the clinical self-report measure of benefit (Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit, APHAB). The benefit of the hearing aid was tested after the self-fitting and the clinical fitting of the hearing aid with a speech-in-noise test (QucikSIN).ResultsThe test outcomes showed no statistically significant differences between repeated self-fitting and clinical fitting of the hearing aids. The hearing aid self-fitting was non-inferior to the clinical fitting.DiscussionIt is important to emphasize that the results and conclusion obtained in this study strictly relate to the specific self-fitting process using the Gaussian Process. Many other potential methods for fitting hearing aids exist and future field studies are required to compare the efficacy of the self-fitting methods.

IntroductionHearing aid (HA) manufacturers have introduced behind-the-ear (BTE) models where the microphone is positioned in the ear canal, which could impact auditory performance by distorting the pinna’s acoustic cues. This study aimed to compare two different BTE HAs with varying microphone positions: the receiver in the ear (RITE) and the transducer in the ear (TIE).MethodsThe study involved 10 participants who had never used HAs before. They used both RITE and TIE HAs bilaterally for 3 weeks. Auditory performance was assessed through free field hearing assessments (hearing thresholds, speech recognition threshold, and speech discrimination score), the Turkish Matrix Sentence Test (TURMatrix), a sound localization test, and the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Living (SADL) questionnaire.ResultsThere was no significant difference between TIE and RITE in the free field hearing assessments. However, TIE outperformed RITE in non-adaptive TURMatrix scores in quiet, adaptive TURMatrix scores in noise, and sound localization accuracy at various angles. SADL sub-scores (Positive Effect, Service and Cost, and Personal Image) and overall satisfaction scores were significantly better for TIE.DiscussionThe microphone position in HAs can influence auditory performance. This study demonstrated that TIE provided better speech intelligibility, localization accuracy, and user satisfaction compared to RITE.

BACKGROUND: Hearing aids are most commonly used for effective amplification in the hearing impaired. Hearing aid technology has rapidly progressed from analogue to digital sound processing devices. However, controversy still exists in connection with the compression strategy most appropriate for better word and speech recognition especially for the Urdu language. OBJECTIVES: To compare the three amplification strategies, including peak clipping, compression limiting and wide dynamic range compression, to suggest the most appropriate strategy in hearing aids for moderate and severe hearing loss, for the development of better word recognition in the Urdu language. METHODOLOGY: This Quasi-experimental, recruited N=50 children with moderate and severe hearing loss, from Salamat Hospital, Gujranwala from Sept. 2017 to August 2018. The sample of N=50 children included both genders aged 7-15 years, bilaterally fitted with digital programmable, multichannel compression aids, integrating one of three amplification strategies including peak clipping, compression limiting and wide dynamic range compression for at least 1 month in a compensated order across children. After using a specific amplification strategy for at least one week, word recognition score was measured through monosyllabic words in Urdu language. SPSS Ver-20 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Results revealed significant differences (p=0.000) among word recognition score means of 64.40±5.01, 69.00±5.80 & 94.20±5.75 for peak clipping, compression limiting and wide dynamic range compression hearing aid amplification strategies respectively with maximum increase noted for wide dynamic range compression amplification strategy. CONCLUSION: Wide-dynamic-range compression (WDRC) fitting strategy is better for word recognition in Urdu speaking population than linear amplification, and output compression for moderate and severe hearing loss in children KEY WORDS: Amplification strategies, Compression limiting, Hearing impaired, Hearing aid, Peak Clipping, Wide dynamic Range compression, Word recognition score.

AbstractObjectiveStudy sampleDesignResultsConclusionsAdults typically receive only one cochlear implant (CI) due to cost constraints, with a contralateral hearing aid recommended when there is aidable hearing. Standard hearing aids differ from a CI in terms of processing strategy and function as a separate entity, requiring the user to integrate the disparate signals. Integrated bimodal technology has recently been introduced to address this challenge. The aim of the study was to investigate the performance of unilateral CI users with and without an integrated bimodal fitting and determine whether binaural streaming technology offers additional benefit.Twenty-six CI users using integrated bimodal technology.Repeated measures where outcomes and user experience were assessed using a functional test battery more representative of real life listening (speech perception in noise tests, localisation test, tracking test) and the speech, spatial and qualities-of-hearing scale (SSQ).Bimodal outcomes were significantly better than for CI alone. Speech perception in noise improvements ranged from 1.4 dB to 3.5 dB depending on the location of speech and noise. The localisation and tracking tests, and the SSQ also showed significant improvements. Binaural streaming offered additional improvement (1.2 dB to 6.1 dB on the different speech tests).Integrated bimodal and binaural streaming technology improved the performance of unilateral CI users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of the association between hearing aid use and cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults with hearing impairment, stratified by cardiovascular risk level. This cross-sectional study covers 1857 hearing-impaired individuals selected among 10,674 community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years of age) in Japan. We investigate the association between hearing aid use and cognitive decline stratified by cardiovascular risk level, by assessing self-reported hearing impairment and hearing aid use, absolute cardiovascular risk, cognitive function, and potential confounding factors. The association between hearing impairment severity and increased cardiovascular risk, and the benefit of hearing aid use in preventing cognitive decline, were examined in a binomial logistic regression analysis, with the presence of cognitive decline as the objective variable. In the low cardiovascular risk group, hearing aid users had a lower odds ratio for decline in executive function than non-users (odds ratio = 0.61, 95% confidence interval: 0.39–0.98). However, there was no significant association between hearing aid use and cognitive decline in the high cardiovascular risk group (p > 0.05). Among older adults with hearing impairment, hearing aid use was associated with the maintenance of executive function in individuals of low cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing impairment is a global issue, affecting billions of people; however, there is a gap between the population affected by hearing loss and those able to access hearing healthcare. Tele-audiology, the application of telemedicine in audiology, serves as a new form of technology which aims to provide synchronous or asynchronous hearing healthcare. In this article, we reviewed some recent studies of tele-audiology-related topics to have a glimpse of the current development, associated challenges, and future advancement. Through the utilization of tele-audiology, patients can conveniently access hearing healthcare, and thus save travel costs and time. Recent studies indicate that remote hearing screening and intervention are non-inferior to the performance of traditional clinical pathways. However, despite its potential benefits, the implementation of tele-audiology faces numerous challenges, and audiologists have varying attitudes on this technology. Overcoming obstacles such as high infrastructure costs, limited reimbursement, and the lack of quality standards calls for concerted efforts to develop effective strategies. Ethical concerns, reimbursement, and patient privacy are all crucial aspects requiring in-depth discussion. Enhancing the education and training of students and healthcare workers, along with providing relevant resources, will contribute to a more efficient, systematic hearing healthcare. Future research will aim to develop integrated models with evidence-based protocols and incorporating AI to enhance the affordability and accessibility of hearing healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing aids and other hearing devices should provide the user with a benefit, for example, compensate for effects of a hearing loss or cancel undesired sounds. However, wearing hearing devices can also have negative effects on perception, previously demonstrated mostly for spatial hearing, sound quality and the perception of the own voice. When hearing devices are set to transparency, that is, provide no gain and resemble open-ear listening as well as possible, these side effects can be studied in isolation. In the present work, we conducted a series of experiments that are concerned with the effect of transparent hearing devices on speech perception in a collocated speech-in-noise task. In such a situation, listening through a hearing device is not expected to have any negative effect, since both speech and noise undergo identical processing, such that the signal-to-noise ratio at ear is not altered and spatial effects are irrelevant. However, we found a consistent hearing device disadvantage for speech intelligibility and similar trends for rated listening effort. Several hypotheses for the possible origin for this disadvantage were tested by including several different devices, gain settings and stimulus levels. While effects of self-noise and nonlinear distortions were ruled out, the exact reason for a hearing device disadvantage on speech perception is still unclear. However, a significant relation to auditory model predictions demonstrate that the speech intelligibility disadvantage is related to sound quality, and is most probably caused by insufficient equalization, artifacts of frequency-dependent signal processing and processing delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vestibular schwannoma is a benign tumor; however, the schwannoma itself and interventions can cause sensorineural hearing loss. Most vestibular schwannomas are unilateral tumors that affect hearing only on one side. Attention has focused on improving the quality of life for patients with unilateral hearing loss and therapeutic interventions to address this issue have been emphasized. Herein, we encountered a patient who was a candidate for hearing preservation surgery based on preoperative findings and had nonserviceable hearing after the surgery, according to the Gardner–Robertson classification. Postoperatively, the patient had decreased listening comprehension and ability to localize sound sources. He was fitted with bilateral hearing aids, and his ability to localize sound sources improved. Although the patient had postoperative nonserviceable hearing on the affected side and age-related hearing loss on the unaffected side, hearing aids in both ears were useful for his daily life. Therefore, the patient was able to maintain a binaural hearing effect and the ability to localize the sound source improved. This report emphasizes the importance of hearing preservation with vestibular schwannomas, and the demand for hearing loss rehabilitation as a postoperative complication can increase, even if hearing loss is nonserviceable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Digital noise reduction (DNR) minimizes the effect of noise on speech signals by continuously monitoring frequency bands in the presence of noise. In the present study, we explored the effect of DNR technology on speech intelligibility in individuals using hearing aids (HAs) and investigated implications for daily use. Methods and material: Eighteen participants with bilateral moderate sensorineural hearing loss (aged 16-45 years) were included. Bilateral receiver-in-the-ear HAs were fitted in the participants. The adaptive and nonadaptive (with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of +5 and -5 dB, respectively) Turkish matrix sentence test (TURMatrix) in noise and freefield hearing assessments, including hearing thresholds with hearing aids, speech recognition thresholds (SRT), and speech discrimination scores, were conducted in two different conditions: HA in the DNR-on and DNR-off conditions. Results: No significant difference was observed between free-field hearing assessments with the HA in the DNR-off and DNR-on conditions (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the adaptive and nonadaptive TURMatrix revealed significant differences between the scores under the DNR-on and DNR-off conditions (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, under the DNR-on condition, there was no correlation between free-field hearing assessments with HA and TURMatrix results (P > 0.05). However, a significant correlation was observed between SRT scores with HA and TURMatrix scores (adaptive and nonadaptive, +5 and -5 dB SNR, respectively) under the DNR-off condition (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study findings suggest that DNR can improve speech intelligibility in noisy environments. Therefore, DNR can enhance an individual's auditory comfort by improving their capacity to grasp speech in background noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The primary objective of this pilot study is to describe the impacts of bullying and peer victimization (BPV) in children with hearing loss. Study design: Prospective clinical survey study. Methods: This pilot study enrolled children between 8 and 18 years who were administered validated surveys at an outpatient clinic between July 2020 and March 2022. Surveys included health-related quality of life questionnaires (PedsQL and EQ-5D-Y), along with bullying and peer victimization questionnaires ("My Life in School" and the multidimensional peer victimization scale). Responses were scored with multivariate analysis. Clinical histories and active ICD-10 codes were also collected. Results: About 105 patients were recruited with a mean age of 13.1 years (SD = 3.15) and hearing loss (n = 30) among the top otolaryngological diagnoses. When surveying patients with hearing loss, 50.0% (n = 15) actively used a hearing aid device. Children (ages 8-12 years) with hearing loss reported a significantly lower psychosocial health-related quality of life than their peers without hearing loss (P =.007), though this was not the case for adolescents (ages 13-18 years) with hearing loss (P =.099). These trends did not change significantly before or after students resumed in-person classes. Children who wore hearing aids did not report a different BPV level than their peers. Conclusion: In this small sample of school-aged children, any hearing loss, even with mild severity, was associated with diminished health-related quality of life; however, this was unrelated to hearing aid use. Wearing a hearing aid did not appear to be linked to higher bullying and peer victimization rates. Along with further studies on BPV with larger sample sizes, the findings in this study may help physicians counsel parents and children on the psychosocial aspects of hearing loss treatment and guide care decisions. Level of Evidence: 3 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate audiological characteristics and parents' opinions on hearing device use in children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (USNHL) who attended a tertiary-level audiologic center. The medical charts of 70 children aged 6 to 12 years with USNHL were reviewed. In 51.4% of cases, the children were diagnosed with USNHL after the age of 2 years. The main causes of USNHL were congenital cytomegalovirus infection (21.4%) and unilateral cochlear nerve hypoplasia (12.9%). The percentage of patients wearing a hearing device was 45.7% (32/70); of these, 28 (87.5%) wore a conventional hearing aid, 2 (6.3%) a CROS device, and 2 (6.3%) a cochlear implant. Regarding the choice to use a hearing device, no significant differences were found between the subcategories of hearing loss degree (p = 0.55) and audiometric configuration (p = 0.54). Most parents of children with mild-to-severe USNHL observed improved attention (90.9%), and reduced fatigue and restlessness (86.4%) using the hearing aid. These children performed significantly better on all audiological tests (speech perception in quiet and in noise conditions, and sound localization) while wearing the hearing aid (p < 0.001). More efforts should be made to raise awareness among professionals and parents about the negative consequences of uncorrected USNHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectivesPlacebo effects refer to the impact of a treatment on health outcomes that cannot be attributed to the treatment itself. The current study aimed to investigate whether a comprehensive hearing aid fitting process would induce placebo effects compared to a simple process, and whether personal attributes such as personality traits could predict susceptibility to these effects.DesignThirty adults with hearing loss completed the study. The study began with a fitting session in which the field trial hearing aid configuration (the actual fitting) was set, followed by two experimental conditions. Each condition involved a fake hearing aid fitting and a 3-week field trial. In the fake fitting, bilateral hearing aids were fitted using the Comprehensive protocol (CM) that included multiple assessments and probe-microphone verification or the Streamlined protocol (ST) that did not involve any assessments other than a hearing test. The same hearing aid amplification settings established in the actual fitting, rather than the settings from the fake fittings, were used in the field trials for both conditions. Patient outcomes were measured using the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA), which was administered as both retrospective self-reports and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys. Personality was assessed using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Upon completion of the study, participants expressed their hearing aid preferences based on hearing aids' real-world performances (prefer CM, prefer ST, or no preference).ResultsFor both retrospective self-reports and EMA, the IOI-HA scores of the CM and ST conditions did not significantly differ. Among the 30 participants, 22 expressed a preference for either CM (n = 14) or ST (n = 8). Younger participants and those with higher levels of agreeableness were more likely to have a hearing aid preference.ConclusionsAt the group level, comprehensive hearing aid fitting process did not generate a placebo effect leading to better outcomes compared to a simple process. However, despite the absence of differences in hearing aid settings, most (73%) participants were affected by placebo effects, believing that one fitting process yielded better real-world outcomes than the other. Personal attributes including personality traits and age are associated with susceptibility to placebo effects.

In this paper, a fourth-order, OTA-free, single-bit, low-consumption discrete-time (DT) delta-sigma (ΔΣ) modulator with CIFF structure is proposed for hearing aid applications. In portable medical devices such as hearing aids that are used permanently, the battery life and energy dissipation are very important. In a typical delta sigma modulator, the power-hungry parts are the OTA. Therefore, the elimination of OTAs is a challenge, and the proposed modulator uses new differential parametric amplifiers, with dynamic thresholde in even stages and inverter-based amplifiers in odd delta sigma stages instead of the OTAs. The dynamic threshold PMOS technique has been used for the first time in differential MPA, and the theoretical analyzes and simulations performed show better performance than the traditional method. Also, a chopper circuit is used on the first fstage to reduce the harmonics and flicker noise. The proposed differential modulator is simulated using standard 180 nm CMOS technology, which achieves 90.5 dB SFDR and 64 dB SNDR with an input bandwidth frequency of 10 kHz and an oversampling ratio of 128. The power supply is 1V and the FOMW were obtained as 3.43 PJ/step.

Abstract Background Hearing loss impacts health-related quality of life and general well-being and was identified in a Lancet report as one of the largest potentially modifiable factors for the prevention of age-related dementia. There is a lack of robust data on how cochlear implant treatment in the elderly impacts quality of life. The primary objective was to measure the change in health utility following cochlear implantation in individuals aged ≥ 60 years. Methods This study uniquely prospectively recruited a large multinational sample of 100 older adults (mean age 71.7 (SD7.6) range 60–91 years) with severe to profound hearing loss. In a repeated-measures design, pre and post implant outcome measures were analysed using mixed-effect models. Health utility was assessed with the Health Utilities Index Mark III (HUI3). Subjects were divided into groups of 60–64, 65–74 and 75 + years. Results At 18 months post implant, the mean HUI3 score improved by 0.13 (95%CI: 0.07–0.18 p 0.20). At baseline 90% of participants had no or mild depression and there was no change in mean depression scores after implant. Categories of Auditory perception scale showed that all subjects achieved a level of speech sound discrimination without lip reading post implantation (level 4) and at least 50% could use the telephone with a known speaker. Conclusions Better hearing improved individuals’ quality of life, ability to communicate verbally and their ability to function independently. They felt less lonely and less handicapped by their hearing loss. Benefits were independent of age group. Cochlear implants should be considered as a routine treatment option for those over 60 years with bilateral severe to profound hearing loss. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov ( http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ ), 7 March 2017, NCT03072862.

Abstract Background Early literacy development is critical for children with hearing loss to develop literacy skills in the years to come. The aim of this study is to compare the early literacy skills of 60–72 months’ children with hearing loss to the results of children with normal hearing. Methods A total of 40 children (20 children with hearing aid (HA) and 20 children with normal hearing (NH) were evaluated in the study. Receptive and expressive language was assessed by Test of Early Language Development (TELD-3) and Early Literacy Test (EROT) was applied to assess the early literacy skills of all children in the study. Results The receptive and expressive language results of the hearing-impaired group were significantly lower than those of normal hearing. Moreover, in EROT when a general analysis is made with main test titles such as, the vocabulary knowledge, letter knowledge, the listening comprehension, results showed that there was a significant difference between the HA and NH groups. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of supporting early literacy skills, which are prerequisite skills for reading and writing skills, in children who receive both mainstreaming education and special education in the risk group and/or continue their education in kindergarten.

Background: The cochlear implant (CI) is an established treatment option for patients with inadequate speech understanding and insufficient aided scores. Nevertheless, reliable predictive models and specific therapy goals regarding achievable speech understanding are still lacking. Method: In this retrospective study, 601 cases of CI fittings between 2005 and 2021 at the University Medical Center Freiburg were analyzed. We investigated the preoperative unaided maximum word recognition score (mWRS) as a minimum predictor for post-interventional scores at 65 dB SPL, WRS65(CI). The WRS65(CI) was compared with the preoperative-aided WRS, and a previously published prediction model for the WRS65(CI) was reviewed. Furthermore, the effect of duration of hearing loss, duration of HA fitting, and etiology on WRS65(CI) were investigated. Results: In 95.5% of the cases, a significant improvement in word recognition was observed after CI. WRS65(CI) achieved or exceeded mWRS in 97% of cases. Etiology had a significant impact on WRS65(CI). The predicted score was missed by more than 20 percentage points in 12.8% of cases. Discussion: Our results confirmed the minimum prediction via mWRS. A more precise prediction of the expected WRS65(CI) is possible. The etiology of hearing loss should be considered in the indication and postoperative care to achieve optimal results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]