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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Do experienced hearing aid users know how to use their hearing AIDS correctly?
Jamie L Desjardins1, Karen A Doherty
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Syracuse University, 805 S. Crouse Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA. jldesjar@syr.edu
American Journal of Audiology
|April 22, 2009
Summary
Many experienced hearing aid users struggle with basic hearing aid skills. The Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test (PHAST) revealed significant variability in hearing aid use and care, emphasizing the need for direct assessment.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Hearing Healthcare
- Rehabilitation
Background:
- Effective hearing aid use is crucial for successful audiological rehabilitation.
- Many hearing aid users, even experienced ones, may not fully utilize their devices due to skill deficits.
- Objective assessment tools are needed to identify these skill gaps.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the practical hearing aid skills of experienced hearing aid users.
- To introduce and validate the Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test (PHAST) for assessing hearing aid manipulation and care.
- To determine the relationship between practical skills and self-reported outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Development of the Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test (PHAST) comprising 8 essential hearing aid tasks.
- Administration of the PHAST to 50 experienced hearing aid users.
- Concurrent administration of questionnaires on hearing aid satisfaction, benefit, and usage.
Main Results:
- Performance on the PHAST varied widely (48%-100%), with a mean score of 78.56%.
- No significant correlation was found between PHAST scores and self-reported satisfaction or benefit.
- Age was the only significant factor associated with performance on the PHAST.
Conclusions:
- Experienced hearing aid users exhibit a broad spectrum of practical skills, from excellent to poor.
- The significant variability underscores the necessity of direct assessment of hearing aid use and care skills.
- Direct assessment can inform targeted interventions to improve hearing aid management and outcomes.
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01:17Auditory Perception
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01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.