Benefit from, and acclimatization to, frequency compression hearing aids in experienced adult hearing-aid users.

Authors :: Ellis RJ
Munro KJ
Source :: International journal of audiology [Int J Audiol] 2015 Jan; Vol. 54 (1), pp. 37-47. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 Dec 03.
Publication Year :: 2015
Abstract: Objective: The aim was to investigate whether frequency compression (FC) hearing aids provide additional benefit to that conferred by conventional amplification.<br />Design: Participants wore the same hearing aid with FC enabled and disabled for six weeks (ABA design) in each condition. Speech recognition tests (in both quiet and in noise) were administered alongside two questionnaires. Performance was compared across the two signal processing conditions and at different time points.<br />Study Sample: Twelve experienced hearing-aid users (aged 65-84 years old) with moderate-to-severe high-frequency hearing loss participated in the study.<br />Results: FC resulted in statistically significantly higher mean scores in all of the administered speech tests. Improvements over time were limited to high frequency phoneme perception. No effect of FC on self-report outcomes was observed.<br />Conclusions: FC may lead to significant improvements in speech perception outcomes in both quiet and noise for many individuals. No participant was significantly disadvantaged by the use of FC.

Subjects :: Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Audiometry, Pure-Tone methods
Auditory Threshold
Equipment Design
Female
Humans
Male
Noise
Perceptual Masking
Speech Discrimination Tests
Speech Perception
Adaptation, Physiological
Hearing Aids
Hearing Loss, High-Frequency rehabilitation
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural rehabilitation
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted instrumentation

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