Fitting hearing aids with the Articulation Index: impact on hearing aid effectiveness

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Hearing Science
• Speech Communication

Background:

• Clinical hearing aid assessments often prioritize speech audibility under controlled settings.
• The relationship between objective audibility measures and patient-perceived hearing aid effectiveness in daily life remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between speech audibility improvements and hearing aid effectiveness in a veteran cohort.
• To determine if objective audibility measures predict patient-reported outcomes like communication ability, satisfaction, and hearing aid use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Articulation Index (AI) as the primary measure of speech audibility.
• Assessed hearing aid effectiveness using two hearing-specific surveys, global satisfaction ratings, and self-reported hearing aid use adherence.
• Analyzed data from patients who received hearing aids through the Veteran's Administration.

Main Results:

• No consistent correlation was found between enhanced speech audibility and patient-reported communication abilities.
• Improvements in audibility did not correlate with overall satisfaction regarding the hearing aid's amplification (fitting).
• A positive relationship emerged between improved audibility and hearing aid use adherence; patients with better audibility used their devices more.

Conclusions:

• Objective measures of speech audibility may not fully capture the perceived benefits or effectiveness of hearing aids for communication.
• Hearing aid fitting and satisfaction are not solely determined by audibility improvements.
• Speech audibility is a significant factor influencing hearing aid use adherence, suggesting its importance for patient engagement with amplification devices.