scholarly journals Quality of Life and Satisfaction among Patients Who Use Hearing Aids

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Kateifidis ◽  
Pavlos Sarafis ◽  
Maria Malliarou ◽  
Andreas Tsounis ◽  
Panagiotis Bamidis ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is a very common condition, especially among the elderly. A large number of people that have disabling hearing loss may benefit from hearing aids.AIM: The purpose of this study was to measure quality of life and satisfaction among patients who use hearing aids.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted, in which 100 patients who came in contact with an audiology center in Athens took part. Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile (GHABP) and 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) were used. Alongside with the questionnaires, demographic and relevant to their hearing aid information were collected. Student's t-test, Pearson correlation and Linear regression analysis with the sequential process of integration/abstraction to find independent factors associated with the various scales that generated dependency coefficients (b) and their standard errors (SE), were used.RESULTS: Patient's perception of disability affects use of hearing aid and patients' satisfaction. More specifically patients who used hearing aid more and perceived its benefits showed higher scores in the physical health of SF-12. Age was found to correlate statistically with patients' satisfaction from the hearing aid and decreases as age increases. Also greater subjective perception of disability caused by hearing loss means increased usage of a hearing aid and life satisfaction.CONCLUSION: Using a hearing aid improves physical aspects of quality of life of patients with hearing loss. The total duration of wearing a hearing aid and the degree of hearing loss play an important role in the use made by the patient.

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Zafar ◽  
Hafiz Muhammad Usama Basheer ◽  
Amber Hassan ◽  
Wajeeha Zaib ◽  
Tehmeena Waheed

The regular use of hearing aids (more than 8 hours a day) benefits people in hearing for bettercommunication than those who are less-likely to use hearing aids Objective: The objective of thestudy was to assess the impact of hearing aids on the quality of life of hearing impaired individualsMethods: In this cross-sectional study total 50 participants were recruited by convenient samplingtechnique from Lahore, Pakistan. 50 patients who were diagnosed with hearing loss and wererecommended with hearing aids of both genders were included in the study. The International OutcomeInventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA), questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzedthrough Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 Results: In this research 50hearing impaired individuals who were hearing aid users, participated. The mean age of participants was64.10+15.88 years. Among which 25 (50%) were males and 25(50%) were females. The average time ofhearing aid use was 3.88 hours, majority of patients responded that hearing aid helped quite a lot in thedaily routine (mean score of IOI-HA, 3.62), have moderate difficulty in residual activity (mean score of IOIHA,3.26), moderately satisfied with their hearing aid (mean score of IOI-HA, 3.28), moderately affect theparticipation restriction (mean score of IOI-HA, 3.20), impact of their hearing loss bothered moderately(mean score of IOI-HA, 3.14) and quality of life (QOL) was very much better (3.90). There was insignificantassociation between the QOL of males and females (p-value>0.05) Conclusions: It was concluded fromthe study that the hearing aids have a greater impact on the quality of life and socio-economic aspectsof hearing impaired individuals. Hearing loss is such a problem, which separates certain community ofhearing impaired individuals from the normal population. Individuals with hearing impairment not onlyhave to face personal communication problems but also it affects their health, independency and qualityof life in their daily routine.


2017 ◽  
Vol 96 (7) ◽  
pp. E28-E33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Mclean ◽  
Irumee Pai ◽  
Andrew Philipatos ◽  
Michael Gordon

We prospectively evaluated the surgical, audiologic, and quality-of-life outcomes in 5 patients—2 men and 3 women, aged 22 to 64 years (mean: 41.8)—who were implanted with the Sophono Alpha 2 MPO Processor. The indications for implantation of this bone-conduction device included recurrent ear canal infections with hearing aids (n = 3), single-sided deafness (n = 1), and patient preference in view of difficulty using a conventional hearing aid (n = 1). In addition to the patient with single-sided deafness, 3 patients had a bilateral mixed hearing loss and 1 had a bilateral conductive hearing loss. Outcomes measures included surgical complications, functional gain (FG), speech discrimination in quiet and noise, and patient satisfaction as determined by the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and the Entific Medical Systems bone-anchored hearing aid questionnaire (BAQ). The only postsurgical complication noted was a minor skin reaction and pain in 1 patient that resolved with conservative management. In the 3 patients with the mixed hearing loss, the mean FG was 13.3, 20.0, 11.7, and 11.7 dB at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz, respectively; in the patient with the bilateral conductive hearing loss, the FG was 10, 25, 10, and 15 dB at the same frequencies. Speech discrimination scores with the Sophono device were comparable to those seen with conventional hearing aids. After implantation, all 5 patients experienced a positive quality-of-life outcome according to the GBI, although 1 of them had only a marginal improvement. On follow-up, all patients reported that they remained satisfied with their implant and that they used their device all day long. We conclude that the Sophono bone-conduction system is a safe and effective option that should be considered for patients with a mixed or conductive hearing loss who are unable to use a conventional hearing aid, as well as for those with single-sided deafness.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 86-86
Author(s):  
Marilyn Reed

Abstract While hearing loss is highly prevalent among patients with dementia, it frequently goes unidentified and unmanaged. It has been a commonly-held belief that older adults with dementia are unable to benefit from hearing rehabilitation, but recent evidence shows that many individuals with dementia can successfully use amplification, helping to improve communication, social interaction and quality of life for these individuals and their caregivers. This presentation will describe how modifications to practice led to successful outcomes for the majority of patients of a geriatric audiology clinic with co-morbid hearing loss and cognitive impairment. In a study of hearing aid use in 67 patients with these comorbidities, over 90% used hearing aids successfully with measurable benefit for both patients and caregivers. Furthermore, we will discuss approaches to improving communication for LTC residents with dementia and hearing loss through the support of audiologists during remote visits with physicians and families during the pandemic.


Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Ye ◽  
Dawei Zhu ◽  
Siyuan Chen ◽  
Xuefeng Shi ◽  
Rui Gong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Hearing loss is quite prevalent and can be related to people’s quality of life. To our knowledge, there are limited studies assessing the efficacy of hearing interventions on quality of life in adults. Therefore, we aim to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the impact and cost-effectiveness of community-based hearing rehabilitation on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss. Methods/design In this two-arm feasibility study, participants aged 16 and above with some degree of hearing loss (n = 464) will be recruited from Linyi City, Shandong Province. They are randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group. Those in the treatment group are prescribed with hearing aids, while those in the control group receive no intervention. Reinstruction in use of devices is provided for the treatment group during booster visits held 12 months post-randomization or unscheduled interim visits when necessary. Data are collected at baseline and the follow-up 20 months later. The primary outcome is changes in quality of life over a 20-month study period. Secondary outcomes include sub-dimensions in quality of life, physical functioning, chronic diseases, cognitive function, depression, social support, hospitalizations, falls, and healthcare costs. Finally, we will evaluate whether hearing aids intervention is cost-effective to apply in a large scale. Discussion The trial is designed to evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of a community-based rehabilitation intervention on quality of life among Chinese adults with hearing loss. We hope that it would help improve the well-being for Chinese adults and provide references in policy and practice for China and other countries. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900024739. Registered on 26 July 2019.


Author(s):  
Л. Е. Голованова ◽  
Е. А. Огородникова ◽  
Е. С. Лаптева ◽  
М. Ю. Бобошко

Целью исследования было изучение качества жизни лиц с нарушениями слуха в разных возрастных группах. Обследованы 100 пациентов, обратившихся в городской сурдологический центр для взрослых в связи с нарушением слуха: 50 человек - 34-59 лет, 50 - 60 лет и старше, из которых 32 человека были пожилого возраста (60-74 года)и 18 - старческого (75-86 лет). Степень тугоухости оценивали на основании результатов тональной пороговой аудиометрии. Для исследования качества жизни все пациенты заполняли общий опросник MOS SF-36, отражающий физический и психологический компоненты здоровья, а также специальный опросник HHIА(E)-S для лиц с нарушениями слуха. Установлено, что шкала HHIА(E)-S демонстрирует высокую корреляцию со степенью тугоухости у пациентов моложе 60 лет ( R =0,98; достоверность различий на уровне p <0,05), которая снижается у пациентов 60 лет и старше ( R =0,94; различия в оценках при разной степени тугоухости недостоверны). Значительные трудности в старшей возрастной группе могут быть связаны с тем, что людям пожилого и, особенно, старческого возраста сложно пользоваться слуховыми аппаратами (или они для них неэффективны) и оценивать свои затруднения по шкалам опросника. Целесообразно использовать шкалу HHIА(Е)-S в качестве скринингового инструмента для раннего выявления тугоухости, направления пациентов к сурдологу и своевременного слухопротезирования. The aim of the research was to study the quality of life in hearing impaired patients of different age. 100 patients referred to the city audiology centre because of their hearing disorders were examined: 50 patients from 34 to 59 years old and 50 patients from 60 years and older, from which 32 patients were of older age (60 to 74 years old) and 18 of oldest age (75 to 86 years old). A degree of hearing loss was assessed according to results of pure tone audiometry. To study the quality of life all patients filled in the questionnaire MOS SF-36, which evaluates physical and psychological components of health, and the questionnaire HHIA(E)-S, designed specifically for patients with hearing disorders. The HHIA(E)-S scale was found to show high correlation with hearing loss degree in patients younger than 60 years old ( R =0,98 with statistically significant difference, p <0,05), with decreasing correlation in patients from 60 years and older ( R =0,98; no significant difference while assessing various hearing loss degrees). Considerable difficulties in this age group may be explained by the fact, that older and especially oldest patients have a challenge with hearing aids usage (or they are of low efficiency for them) and with assessing theirs difficulties on the questionnaire scales. The HHIA(E)-S scale is useful as a screening tool for early detection of hearing loss, referral of patients to an audiologist and prompt hearing aid fitting.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (9) ◽  
pp. 799-807
Author(s):  
Sehnaz Basaran ◽  
Halil İbrahim Tas

ABSTRACT Background: Investigating predictive factors of reduced quality of life (QOL) of patients and their association with focal epilepsy can improve management and treatment strategies. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between affective temperaments, depression, anxiety, disease characteristics, and QOL and to explore the predictors of QOL in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE). Methods: A total of 50 patients with TLE, 51 patients with ETLE, and 70 controls were enrolled. Affective temperaments were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). QOL was assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to explore depression and anxiety severity, respectively. Results: Compared with the controls, patients with TLE and ETLE had significantly higher scores on all TEMPS-A scales, except on hyperthymic temperament. All the SF-36 subscale scores were lower in the TLE and ETLE groups. Linear regression analysis revealed that depressive symptoms, anxiety, depressive and irritable temperament, and seizure frequency were significant predictors of QOL in TLE. Patients with ETLE with temperamental disturbances, depressive symptoms, and polytherapy had a poorer QOL. Conclusions: Affective temperaments, psychiatric disorders, and clinical factors may predict impaired QOL in patients with TLE and ETLE. Further studies are needed to identify predictors of QOL in various epilepsy subtypes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Joanna Marszał ◽  
Renata Gibasiewicz ◽  
Magdalena Błaszczyk ◽  
Maria Gawlowska ◽  
Wojciech Gawęcki

Introduction: Nowadays, there are many options to treat hearing-impaired patients: tympanoplastic surgery, hearing aids and a wide range of implantable devices. Objective: The aim of this study is to present the mid-term audiological and quality of life benefits after the implantation of the Osia®, a new active piezoelectric bone conduction hearing implant. Material and methods: The state of the tissues in implanted area, as well as audiological and quality of life results were analyzed six, nine and twelve months after implantation in a group of four adult patients with bilateral mixed hearing loss. Results: In all the cases, no postoperative complications were found. One year after surgery the mean audiological gain in FF PTA4 (pure tone average for 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz) was 52.2±3.5 dB in comparison to the unaided situation, the mean speech understanding with Osia® in quiet was 90±8.2% for 50dB SPL, 98.8±2.5% for 65dB SPL and 100±0% for 80dB SPL, and mean speech understanding with Osia® in noise was 37.5%±23.6 for 50dB SPL, 93.8±4.8% for 65dB SPL and 98.8±2.5% for 80dB SPL. There was also an evident improvement in the quality of hearing as well as in the quality of life, measured by the APHAB (Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit) and the SSQ (Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale). Conclusions: The Osia® is an effective treatment option for patients with bilateral mixed hearing loss. The mid-term audiological and quality of life results are excellent, but further observations including bigger groups of patients and a longer follow-up are required.


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (02) ◽  
pp. 156-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Lacerda ◽  
Luciana Silva ◽  
Roberto de Tavares Canto ◽  
Nadia Cheik

Summary Introduction: The aging process provokes structural modifications and functional to it greets, compromising the postural control and central processing. Studies have boarded the necessity to identify to the harmful factors of risk to aged the auditory health and security in stricken aged by auditory deficits and with alterations of balance. Objective: To evaluate the effect of auditory prosthesis in the quality of life, the balance and the fear of fall in aged with bilateral auditory loss. Method: Carried through clinical and experimental study with 56 aged ones with sensorineural auditory loss, submitted to the use of auditory prosthesis of individual sonorous amplification (AASI). The aged ones had answered to the questionnaires of quality of life Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Falls Efficacy International Scale- (FES-I) and the test of Berg Balance Scale (BBS). After 4 months, the aged ones that they adapted to the use of the AASI had been reevaluated. Results: It had 50% of adaptation of the aged ones to the AASI. It was observed that the masculine sex had greater difficulty in adapting to the auditory device and that the variable age, degree of loss, presence of humming and vertigo had not intervened with the adaptation to auditory prosthesis. It had improvement of the quality of life in the dominance of the State General Health (EGS) and Functional Capacity (CF) and of the humming, as well as the increase of the auto-confidence after adaptation of auditory prosthesis. Conclusion: The use of auditory prosthesis provided the improvement of the domains of the quality of life, what it reflected consequently in one better auto-confidence and in the long run in the reduction of the fear of fall in aged with sensorineural auditory loss.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-34
Author(s):  
Sagar Koirala ◽  
Pawan Raj Chalise ◽  
Prem Gyawali

Introduction: End stage renal disease has a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Kidney transplantation remains the best treatment option in comparison to other forms of renal replacement therapy. Live related donor renal transplantation was started at TUTH in 2008. Compared to other established centers, the outcome of transplantation was comparable. Though there is considerable evidence showing that donors are able to return to their healthy life, quality of life (QOL) assessment using standardized questionnaires has not yet been done in our centre. This study was carried out in order to compare QOL before and after donor nephrectomy. Methods: Short Form 36 version 2 (SF36v2) was used to assess the quality of life of kidney donors. Interview was conducted just before and three months after donor nephrectomy. Eight domains of quality of life score were compared using SPSS 17.0. Kolmogorov Smirnov test was used to check normal distribution of data. Mean scores before and after donation was compared with paired t test. Multivariate linear regression analysis was done to find out variables predicting poorer outcome. Results: Out of eight domains of quality of life, bodily pain, physical functioning and physical role limitation were decreased 3 months after donation. However, this did not have any impact on overall quality of life of donors. Increasing age was found to an independent predicter of poorer quality of life. However gender and donation status had no significance. Conclusion: Quality of life of renal transplant donors was not affected by donor nephrectomy. Long term follow up and quality of study is required in order to assess the changes in physical health component with time.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei She ◽  
Yuan Ma ◽  
Yi Li ◽  
Lei Li ◽  
Weixian Xu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The optimal level of heart rate (HR) control in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. To assess the effect of rate control on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and quality of life (QoL) in permanent AF. Methods One hundred forty-three patients with permanent AF were enrolled in this study. All patients received rate control medications and were followed up for 1 year. After 1-year therapy, the exercise capacity and QoL were evaluated by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, respectively. Data were compared by dividing the patients according to the following criteria: (1) whether the resting HR was ≤80 or > 80 bpm; (2) whether the exercise HR during moderate exercises on CPET was ≤110 or > 110 bpm; and (3) whether the resting HR was ≤80 bpm and exercise HR was ≤110 bpm. Results No significant differences in peak oxygen uptake, peak metabolic equivalent, and anaerobic threshold were found between the strict control and lenient control groups. Both physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) were significantly higher for the strict rate control group than for the lenient control group. The single-factor correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between resting HR and both PCS and MCS. The multivariable linear regression analysis indicated that both exercise HR and duration of AF linearly correlated with PCS and MCS. Conclusions Therefore, in patients with permanent AF, exercise capacity may not be affected by the stringency of rate control, and strict rate control may be associated with better QoL.


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