Analogue and Digital Hearing Aids Part 1. Evaluation of the Asset ofthe Hearing Aid by the Patient

Overview

S u m m a r y:
The authors evaluated, based on a questionnaire, the subjective asset of hearing aidsin 114 patients, 58 men and 56 women, mean age 68 (22-92) years. The hearing aids were issued tothe patients in 1998 and 1999. The period of use of the hearing aid in the investigated group was atleast 3, and most 13 months. 14 respondents used a behind the ear analogue hearing aid, 73 ananalogue programmable hearing aid and 27 patients a completely digital hearing aid. The hearingaids were made by two manufacturers. Behind the ear hearing aids predominated, there were in theear and canal types (31 - 27%), none were body-worn hearing aids. Hearing aids were more frequentlyfitted in the right ear (73 patients - 63 %). This is due to the predominating correction of the rightear in patients with symmetrical hypacusis. Within 48 (42% of the group) patients with symmetricalhypacusis 40 (83%) had the hearing aid in the right ear. In asymmetrical losses (66 - 58% patients)the hearing aid was allotted in 58 cases (88%) to the better hearing ear, only in 12 to the worse ear.Binaural correction was not used. Evidence was provided that patients with more severe hypacusiasuse hearing aids significantly more frequently the whole day than patients with smaller losses (p = 0.002). Comparison of analogue and digital hearing aids according to subjective data of thepatients was in favour of digital hearing aids, in particular as regards the time taken to getaccustomed to the aid, the period of use per day, improved hearing of speech in a noisy environment,the natural character of external sounds and the own voice and the absence of internal noise. Theauthors do not overrate the value of this comparison. They emphasize the necessity of an individualapproach to affected subjects when fitting and selecting hearing aids. They draw attention to thefact that in some cases an analogue hearing aid may be more suitable for a subject than a digitalone, not only from the aspect of cost/effect. Evaluation of the benefit of hearing aids by means ofa questionnaire was for the authors the source of many interesting and stimulating observations ofpatients which will be used in audiological practice.

Key words:
hearing aid, analogue, digital hearing aid, subjective benefit, questionnaire.