scholarly journals Hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie A Ferguson ◽  
Pádraig T Kitterick ◽  
Lee Yee Chong ◽  
Mark Edmondson-Jones ◽  
Fiona Barker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

scholarly journals Applying the COM-B Model to Assess the Usability of Smartphone-Connected Listening Devices in Adults with Hearing Loss

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (05) ◽  
pp. 417-430 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Maidment ◽  
Yasmin H. K. Ali ◽  
Melanie A. Ferguson
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
High Quality Research ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Everyday ◽  
Sound Amplification ◽  
Fine Tune ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

AbstractUnlike conventional hearing aids, smartphone-connected listening devices may require limited or no input from a trained audiologist in terms of device programming and adjustment. However, there is a lack of peer-reviewed evidence assessing the real-world perspectives of people living with hearing loss toward such technological innovations.This study assessed the everyday experiences of adults living with hearing loss toward a range of smartphone-connected listening devices using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour (COM-B) model as a theoretical framework.A qualitative study where participants trialed one of the following smartphone-connected listening devices for two weeks in their everyday lives: made-for-smartphone hearing aid, personal sound amplification product, and smartphone “hearing aid” app with wired earphones or wireless hearable. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted.Twenty adults (13 male and 7 female; mean age = 62.25 years, SD = 11.59) with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (mean better ear pure-tone average = 30.49 dB HL, SD = 17.51) were recruited using a convenience sampling strategy. All participants owned conventional hearing aids.The data were analyzed using an established deductive thematic analysis procedure within the context of the COM-B model. The model stipulates that for individuals to engage in a particular behavior (B), they must have sufficient capability (C), opportunity (O), and motivation (M). Capability: One of the key advantages facilitating use and adherence of smartphone-connected listening devices was the ability for participants to make fine-tune adjustments in any listening situation. Opportunity: Participants commented that these devices could address issues surrounding stigma as smartphones are ubiquitous in everyday life. Motivation: Participants consistently reported that the ability to make adjustments via a smartphone provided them with a greater sense of autonomy and empowerment. As a result, they felt more in control of their hearing loss.This study lays the foundation for further high-quality research to explore whether smartphone-connected technologies have the potential to yield optimum benefits for people living with hearing loss.

scholarly journals Pilot Comparison of Adjustment Protocols of Personal Sound Amplification Products

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (01) ◽  
pp. 026-036
Author(s):  
Antoinette Oliver ◽  
Nirmal Srinivasan ◽  
Frank Lin ◽  
Peggy Korczak ◽  
Nicholas Reed
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Direct To Consumer ◽  
Professional Outcomes ◽  
Fitting Procedures ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Sound Amplification ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

AbstractThe Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017 was signed into law in August 2017 and facilitates the introduction of direct-to-consumer sales of hearing aids for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Among many questions surrounding over-the-counter sales is the ability of users to self-fit amplification. Many studies have conducted self-fitting procedures using guidance materials provided by audiologists. In this pilot, we explore the ability of users to self-adjust personal sound amplification devices using only materials provided by the manufacturer and contrast this with models that involve a hearing professional. Outcomes to assess adjustments included clinic-based speech-in-noise measures and ability to approximate NAL-NL2 prescriptive targets. We found that an audiologist-driven model provided the best outcomes. However, it is unknown if the difference is clinically meaningful.

Hearing Loss, Speech, and Hearing Aids

1993 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 228-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dianne J. Van Tasell
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sound Pressure Level ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Speech Signal ◽  
Sound Pressure ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Pressure Level ◽  
Impaired Hearing ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

Modern hearing aids permit adjustment of a number of electroacoustic parameters, among them frequency response, saturation sound pressure level, and various aspects of compression. Relatively little is known, however, about how the electroacoustic characteristics of hearing aids affect the information-bearing properties of speech. Even less is known about how hearing aids might alleviate or exacerbate the effects of impaired hearing. This article reviews current knowledge in three areas: (a) characteristics of mild/moderate hearing loss, (b) informationbearing aspects of speech, and (c) the relation between electroacoustic characteristics of hearing aids and the speech signal. Concluding suggestions are made regarding the implications of the current data for selecting hearing-aid characteristics.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of a Self-Fitting Tool for User-Driven Fitting of Hearing Aids

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (20) ◽  
pp. 10596
Author(s):  
Matjaž Debevc ◽  
Mark Žmavc ◽  
Michael Boretzki ◽  
Martina Schüpbach-Wolf ◽  
Hans-Ueli Roeck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Randomized Study ◽  
Underdeveloped Countries ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Fitting Procedures ◽  
Double Blinded ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

Hearing aids can be effective devices to compensate for age- or non-age-related hearing losses. Their overall adoption in the affected population is still low, especially in underdeveloped countries in the subpopulation experiencing milder hearing loss. One of the major reasons for low adoption is the need for repeated complex fitting by professional audiologists, which is often not completed for various reasons. As a result, self-fitting procedures have been appearing as an alternative. Key open questions with these digital tools are linked to their effectiveness, utilized algorithms, and achievable end-results. A digital self-fitting prototype tool with a novel quick four-step fitting workflow was evaluated in a study on 19 individuals with moderate hearing loss. The tool was evaluated in a double-blinded, randomized study, having two study aims: comparing traditional audiological fitting with the new self-fitting tool, which can also be used as a remote tool. The main reported results show moderately high usability and user satisfaction obtained during self-fitting, and quasi-equivalence of the performance of the classical audiological fitting approach. The digital self-fitting tool enables multiple sessions and easy re-fitting, with the potential to outperform the classical fitting approach.

scholarly journals Influence of periodical, long-term management of hearing aids on patients with moderate hearing loss

2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 660-665
Author(s):  
Shin Saito ◽  
Seiichi Shinden ◽  
Daisuke Suzuki ◽  
Hiroshi Okazaki ◽  
Mami Oota ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Term Management ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

scholarly journals Effects of mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss and signal amplification on vocal emotion recognition in middle-aged–older individuals

PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0261354
Author(s):  
Mattias Ekberg ◽  
Josefine Andin ◽  
Stefan Stenfelt ◽  
Örjan Dahlström
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Recognition Task ◽  
Emotional Prosody ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Vocal Emotion Recognition ◽  
Vocal Emotion ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

Previous research has shown deficits in vocal emotion recognition in sub-populations of individuals with hearing loss, making this a high priority research topic. However, previous research has only examined vocal emotion recognition using verbal material, in which emotions are expressed through emotional prosody. There is evidence that older individuals with hearing loss suffer from deficits in general prosody recognition, not specific to emotional prosody. No study has examined the recognition of non-verbal vocalization, which constitutes another important source for the vocal communication of emotions. It might be the case that individuals with hearing loss have specific difficulties in recognizing emotions expressed through prosody in speech, but not non-verbal vocalizations. We aim to examine whether vocal emotion recognition difficulties in middle- aged-to older individuals with sensorineural mild-moderate hearing loss are better explained by deficits in vocal emotion recognition specifically, or deficits in prosody recognition generally by including both sentences and non-verbal expressions. Furthermore a, some of the studies which have concluded that individuals with mild-moderate hearing loss have deficits in vocal emotion recognition ability have also found that the use of hearing aids does not improve recognition accuracy in this group. We aim to examine the effects of linear amplification and audibility on the recognition of different emotions expressed both verbally and non-verbally. Besides examining accuracy for different emotions we will also look at patterns of confusion (which specific emotions are mistaken for other specific emotion and at which rates) during both amplified and non-amplified listening, and we will analyze all material acoustically and relate the acoustic content to performance. Together these analyses will provide clues to effects of amplification on the perception of different emotions. For these purposes, a total of 70 middle-aged-older individuals, half with mild-moderate hearing loss and half with normal hearing will perform a computerized forced-choice vocal emotion recognition task with and without amplification.

Investigation of Extended Bandwidth Hearing Aid Amplification on Speech Intelligibility and Sound Quality in Adults with Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (03) ◽  
pp. 243-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angeline Seeto ◽  
Grant D. Searchfield
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Sound Quality ◽  
Significant Benefit ◽  
Band Frequency ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

AbstractAdvances in digital signal processing have made it possible to provide a wide-band frequency response with smooth, precise spectral shaping. Several manufacturers have introduced hearing aids that are claimed to provide gain for frequencies up to 10–12 kHz. However, there is currently limited evidence and very few independent studies evaluating the performance of the extended bandwidth hearing aids that have recently become available.This study investigated an extended bandwidth hearing aid using measures of speech intelligibility and sound quality to find out whether there was a significant benefit of extended bandwidth amplification over standard amplification.Repeated measures study designed to examine the efficacy of extended bandwidth amplification compared to standard bandwidth amplification.Sixteen adult participants with mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss.Participants were bilaterally fit with a pair of Widex Mind 440 behind-the-ear hearing aids programmed with a standard bandwidth fitting and an extended bandwidth fitting; the latter provided gain up to 10 kHz.For each fitting, and an unaided condition, participants completed two speech measures of aided benefit, the Quick Speech-in-Noise test (QuickSIN™) and the Phonak Phoneme Perception Test (PPT; high-frequency perception in quiet), and a measure of sound quality rating.There were no significant differences found between unaided and aided conditions for QuickSIN™ scores. For the PPT, there were statistically significantly lower (improved) detection thresholds at high frequencies (6 and 9 kHz) with the extended bandwidth fitting. Although not statistically significant, participants were able to distinguish between 6 and 9 kHz 50% better with extended bandwidth. No significant difference was found in ability to recognize phonemes in quiet between the unaided and aided conditions when phonemes only contained frequency content <6 kHz. However significant benefit was found with the extended bandwidth fitting for recognition of 9-kHz phonemes. No significant difference in sound quality preference was found between the standard bandwidth and extended bandwidth fittings.This study demonstrated that a pair of currently available extended bandwidth hearing aids was technically capable of delivering high-frequency amplification that was both audible and useable to listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. This amplification was of acceptable sound quality. Further research, particularly field trials, is required to ascertain the real-world benefit of high-frequency amplification.

scholarly journals Disruptive Hearing Technologies and Mild Sensorineural Hearing Loss II: Current Research on Affordable Hearing Technologies and Direct-to-Consumer Models

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (02) ◽  
pp. 146-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole Johnson ◽  
Jeffrey Danhauer ◽  
Anna Jilla
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Direct To Consumer ◽  
Service Delivery Models ◽  
Delivery Models ◽  
Moderate Hearing Loss

AbstractRecently, President Trump signed into law the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Reauthorization Act of 2017, which included the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act designed to provide greater public accessibility to and affordability of amplification for individuals with self-identified mild and moderate hearing loss through the provision of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids (HAs) with a direct-to-consumer (DTC) delivery model. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and American Academy of Audiology Position Statements on OTC HAs state that these devices should only be used for adults with mild hearing losses. DTC amplification and service delivery has been available to consumers in a variety of forms for a significant period of time. However, FDA-regulated OTC HAs will not be available as described in the new law until the FDA publishes the required guidance related to the technology, safety, and labeling of such devices. With the clear similarities in mind between present and future amplification options, a literature search was conducted to review studies assessing outcomes for low-cost and DTC HAs and service-delivery models to inform what we may expect as OTC HAs enter the market. Nine studies were identified which assessed: (1) electroacoustic capabilities of low-cost and DTC HAs, (2) use of these devices in field trials, or (3) efficacy of DTC models. None of the studies reported outcomes specifically for participants with mild hearing loss. The studies had poor external validity because none included all factors that would exist in realistic uses of OTC HAs within a DTC model. Additional research will be needed as OTC HAs become available and different delivery models are proposed.

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