Personal and Social Conditions Potentially Influencing Women’s Hearing Loss Management

2001 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean C. Garstecki ◽  
Susan F. Erler

Little gender-specific data related to hearing loss and hearing loss management are available. The purpose of this investigation was to examine personal and social conditions affecting women at selected stages of the adult life course that may influence hearing loss management. In all, 191 women in three age groups, ranging from 35 to 85 years old, participated. None reported hearing problems. Participants completed a demographic data form and were given a standard audiometric evaluation to confirm age-normal hearing. Each completed assessments of speech understanding in quiet and noise, auditory signal duration discrimination, and binaural processing. Measures of hearing knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes; health-related locus of control; ego strength; and, social support were administered. Results revealed that although some variables deteriorate among subsequent age groups (i.e., hearing thresholds, central auditory processing, and ego strength), the reverse is true for others (i.e., social interaction and satisfaction with income). Age-specific sociodemographic burdens that may interfere with hearing loss management were noted. New psychosocial data are revealed against which women and men with impaired hearing may be compared.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Occelli ◽  
Florian Hasselmann ◽  
Jérôme Bourien ◽  
Jean-Luc Puel ◽  
Nathalie Desvignes ◽  
...  

Abstract People are increasingly exposed to environmental noise through the cumulation of occupational and recreational activities, which is considered harmless to the auditory system, if the sound intensity remains <80 dB. However, recent evidence of noise-induced peripheral synaptic damage and central reorganizations in the auditory cortex, despite normal audiometry results, has cast doubt on the innocuousness of lifetime exposure to environmental noise. We addressed this issue by exposing adult rats to realistic and nontraumatic environmental noise, within the daily permissible noise exposure limit for humans (80 dB sound pressure level, 8 h/day) for between 3 and 18 months. We found that temporary hearing loss could be detected after 6 months of daily exposure, without leading to permanent hearing loss or to missing synaptic ribbons in cochlear hair cells. The degraded temporal representation of sounds in the auditory cortex after 18 months of exposure was very different from the effects observed after only 3 months of exposure, suggesting that modifications to the neural code continue throughout a lifetime of exposure to noise.


2002 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan F. Erler ◽  
Dean C. Garstecki

Impaired hearing and the use of hearing aids are often perceived negatively. Many adults deny hearing loss and reject amplification, in part due to such stigma. Women and men differ in how they age and adjust to impaired hearing, yet little is known specifically about women’s perceptions of stigma related to hearing loss and hearing aid use. The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of stigma associated with hearing loss and hearing aid use among women in three age groups (35–45 years, 55–65 years, and 75–85 years). Participants were 191 women with hearing within normal limits based on age-related norms. Using pairs of descriptors (i.e., semantic differentials), participants completed statements related to hearing loss and hearing aid use. Results suggest that negative perceptions associated with hearing loss and hearing aid use are affected by age. Younger women perceive greater stigma than older women. Less stigma is associated with hearing aid use than hearing loss, suggesting a positive effect of hearing loss management. Implications for clinical practice and marketing of hearing instruments are discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (06) ◽  
pp. 493-501
Author(s):  
Skylar Trott ◽  
Trey Cline ◽  
Jeffrey Weihing ◽  
Deidra Beshear ◽  
Matthew Bush ◽  
...  

AbstractEstrogen has been identified as playing a key role in many organ systems. Recently, estrogen has been found to be produced in the human brain and is believed contribute to central auditory processing. After menopause, a low estrogen state, many women report hearing loss but demonstrate no deficits in peripheral hearing sensitivity, which support the notion that estrogen plays an effect on central auditory processing. Although animal research on estrogen and hearing loss is extensive, there is little in the literature on the human model.The aim of this study was to evaluate relationships between hormonal changes and hearing as it relates to higher auditory function in pre- and postmenopausal (Post-M) females.A prospective, group comparison study.Twenty eight women between the ages of 18 and 70 at the University of Kentucky were recruited.Participants were separated into premenopausal and peri-/Post-M groups. Participants had normal peripheral hearing sensitivity and underwent a behavioral auditory processing battery and electrophysiological evaluation. An analysis of variance was performed to address the aims of the study.Results from the study demonstrated statistically significant difference between groups, where Post-M females had difficulties in spatial hearing abilities as reflected on the Listening in Spatialized Noise Test–Sentences test. In addition, measures on the auditory brainstem response and the middle latency response reflected statistically significant differences between groups with Post-M females having longer latencies.Results from the present study demonstrated significant differences between groups, particularly listening in noise. Females who present with auditory complaints in spite of normal hearing thresholds should have a more extensive audiological evaluation to further evaluate possible central deficits.


2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 161-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank E. Musiek ◽  
Jane A. Baran

This is a report of a female patient in her midthirties who sustained a hemorrhage secondary to an arteriovenous malformation in the region of the pons. The patient's initial symptoms included hearing loss and tinnitus, which were followed by the more characteristic symptoms of headache and loss of consciousness. Results of audiological testing at three months postaccident documented the presence of a hearing loss and a central auditory processing disorder, and the patient was provided an auditory rehabilitation program. Follow-up testing over the course of an additional year documented improvement in both pure-tone threshold and central test results; however, at 15 months postaccident, some auditory deficits remained, especially in the ear ipsilateral to the primary site of lesion. The anatomical correlates of these deficits are discussed, as are the potential contributions of both the auditory rehabilitation program and spontaneous recovery mechanisms to the documented improvements in auditory function.


1976 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Beasley ◽  
Jean E. Maki ◽  
Daniel J. Orchik

Time-compressed versions of the WIPI and PB-K 50 speech discrimination measures were presented at two sensation levels to 60 children divided into three age-groups of 20 each. Results showed that average intelligibility scores increased as a function of increasing age and sensation level and decreased with increasing amounts of time compression. The PB-K 50 measure was found to be more difficult than the WIPI for each age-group under each condition of time compression and sensation level. The several factors under study were found to interact. The results are discussed relative to open- versus closed-message set response tasks and the implications for audiological diagnoses of children with central auditory processing problems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (06) ◽  
pp. 491-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nehzat Koohi ◽  
Deborah A. Vickers ◽  
Rahul Lakshmanan ◽  
Hoskote Chandrashekar ◽  
David J. Werring ◽  
...  

Background: Stroke survivors may suffer from a range of hearing impairments that may restrict their participation in postacute rehabilitation programs. Hearing impairment may have a significant impact on listening, linguistic skills, and overall communication of the affected stroke patient. However, no studies sought to systematically characterize auditory function of stroke patients in detail, to establish the different types of hearing impairments in this cohort of patients. Such information would be clinically useful in understanding and addressing the hearing needs of stroke survivors. Purpose: The present study aimed to characterize and classify the hearing impairments, using a detailed audiological assessment test battery, in order to determine the level of clinical need and inform appropriate rehabilitation for this patient population. Research Design: A case–control study. Study Sample: Forty-two recruited stroke patients who were discharged from a stroke unit and 40 control participants matched for age. Data Collection and Analysis: All participants underwent pure-tone audiometry and immittance measurements including acoustic reflex threshold, transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions, auditory-evoked brainstem response, and a central auditory processing assessment battery, performed in a single session. Hearing impairments were classified as peripheral hearing loss (cochlear and neural type), central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), and as a combination of CAPD and peripheral hearing loss. Results: Overall mean hearing thresholds were not significantly different between the control and stroke groups. The most common type of hearing impairment in stroke patients was the combination type, “peripheral and CAPD,” in the 61- to 80-yr-old subgroup (in 55%), and auditory processing deficits in 18- to 60-yr-olds (in 40%), which were both significantly higher than in controls. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine hearing function in detail in stroke patients. Given the importance of hearing for the efficiency of communication, it is essential to identify hearing impairments and differentiate peripheral and central deficits to define an appropriate intervention plan.


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry E. Humes ◽  
Gary R. Kidd ◽  
Jennifer J. Lentz

The Test of Basic Auditory Capabilities (TBAC) is a battery of auditory-discrimination tasks and speech-identification tasks that has been normed on several hundred young normal-hearing adults. Previous research with the TBAC suggested that cognitive function may impact the performance of older adults. Here, we examined differences in performance on several TBAC tasks between a group of 34 young adults with a mean age of 22.5 years (SD = 3.1 years) and a group of 115 older adults with a mean age of 69.2 years (SD = 6.2 years) recruited from the local community. Performance of the young adults was consistent with prior norms for this age group. Not surprisingly, the two groups differed significantly in hearing loss and working memory with the older adults having more hearing loss and poorer working memory than the young adults. The two age groups also differed significantly in performance on six of the nine measures extracted from the TBAC (eight test scores and one average test score) with the older adults consistently performing worse than the young adults. However, when these age-group comparisons were repeated with working memory and hearing loss as covariates, the groups differed in performance on only one of the nine auditory measures from the TBAC. For eight of the nine TBAC measures, working memory was a significant covariate and hearing loss never emerged as a significant factor. Thus, the age-group deficits observed initially on the TBAC most often appeared to be mediated by age-related differences in working memory rather than deficits in auditory processing. The results of these analyses of age-group differences were supported further by linear-regression analyses with each of the 9 TBAC scores serving as the dependent measure and age, hearing loss, and working memory as the predictors. Regression analyses were conducted for the full set of 149 adults and for just the 115 older adults. Working memory again emerged as the predominant factor impacting TBAC performance. It is concluded that working memory should be considered when comparing the performance of young and older adults on auditory tasks, including the TBAC.


2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (04) ◽  
pp. 229-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer B. Shinn ◽  
Gail D. Chermak ◽  
Frank E. Musiek

Background: The recently developed Gaps-In-Noise (GIN) test has provided a new diagnostic tool for the detection of temporal resolution deficits. Previous reports indicate that the GIN is a relatively sensitive tool for the diagnosis of central auditory processing disorder ([C]APD) in adult populations. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine the feasibility of the GIN test in the pediatric population. Research Design: This was a prospective pseudorandomized investigation. Study Sample: This investigation involved administration of the GIN to 72 participants divided into six groups of normal children ranging from 7 through 18 years of age. Data Collection and Analysis: The approximate GIN threshold (the shortest gap duration for which at least four of six gaps were correctly identified) served as the dependent variable. Results were analyzed using an ANOVA to examine between- and within-group differences. Results: No statistically significant differences were seen in GIN thresholds among age groups. In addition, within group analysis yielded no statistically significant differences between ears within each age group. No developmental effect was seen in GIN thresholds between the ages of 7 and 18 years. Children as young as age 7 are able to complete the GIN with no significant difficulty and perform at levels commensurate with normal adults. The absence of ear differences suggests that temporal resolution as measured by the GIN is an auditory process that develops relatively early and symmetrically (i.e., no laterality or ear dominance effects). Conclusions: The GIN procedure appears to be a feasible measure of temporal resolution in both pediatric and adult populations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Fonseca ◽  
C Reis ◽  
L Monteiro ◽  
C Monteiro ◽  
M Serrano

Abstract Introduction Preschool hearing screening programmes would identify later onset or progressive hearing losses and conductive hearing loss, due to the high prevalence of otitis media with effusion in childhood. Hearing loss associated with otitis media with effusion can have a great impact on reading, writing, central auditory processing and balance. Objectives The present study aims at characterising the audiological alterations found in preschool children screened in a rural community in Portugal, and the correlation between audiological findings and otoscopy. Methodology This is an observational study using the results obtained in a ten year audiological and otological screening of preschool children. Otoscopy, Tympanometry and Audiometry (1, 2 and 4 KHz presented at 40 and 20 dB intensity) were performed at the first stage of the screening and the results were classified as “pass” or “refer”. Every non-normal result of any category would imply a second stage consisting of observation by an ENT specialist at the site and the establishing of a follow-up plan. Written Informed Consent was obtained from the parents prior to initiating the study. Results 595 children aged 5 and 6 years were screened between 2007 and 2017, of whom 192 (32.3%) required referral to the second stage. The most frequent alteration was found in the tympanogram. The tympanograms showed a significant correlation with the otoscopy performed by the ENT doctor, mainly type B tympanograms. The pass/refer audiometry also showed a statistically significant correlation with the medical otoscopy, although weak in all frequencies studied. Conclusion It’s extremely important to perform a hearing screening in the age range of 5-6 years (with a high predisposition to middle ear problems), with the main objective of identifying and referring for treatment children who present alterations in order to reduce the consequences of the hearing impairment.


Author(s):  
Carla Matos Silva ◽  
Carolina Fernandes ◽  
Clara Rocha ◽  
Telmo Pereira

Background: Impairment in speech perception is a common feature of older adults. This study aimed at evaluating the acute and sub-acute (after three months) effects of auditory training on central auditory processing in older people with hearing loss. Methods: A nonrandomized study was conducted enrolling 15 older adults with hearing loss and an average age of 78.6 ± 10.9 years. All participants underwent a baseline otoscopy, tympanogram, audiogram and speech-in-noise test with a signal-noise ratio (SNR) of 10 and 15 dB. Afterwards, auditory training intervention was implemented consisting of 10 training sessions over 5 weeks. Participants were divided into two groups: group 1 (G1) underwent auditory training based on a speech-in-noise test; group 2 (G2) underwent a filtered-speech test. Auditory processing was evaluated at baseline (T0) immediately after the intervention (T1) and 3 months after the intervention (T2). Results: Group 1 were quite efficient regardless of the SNR in the right ear with statistically significant differences from T0 to T1 (p = 0.003 and p = 0.006 for 10 dB and 15 dB, respectively) and T0 to T2 (p = 0.011 and 0.015 for 10 dB and 15 dB, respectively). As for the left ear, the increase of success was statistically significant for the SNR of 10 dB and 15 dB from T0 to T1 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively) and from T0 to T2 (p = 0.016 and p = 0.003). In G2, there was a significant variation only from T0 for T1 in the left ear for an SNR of 10 dB (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Speech perception in noise significantly improved after auditory training in old adults.


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