The effect of induction loop system use training on adults with hearing aids

The study aimed to investigate the effect of training on hearing aid users to benefit from induction loop systems.

A five-question scale was developed to evaluate whether individuals using hearing aids could use the induction loop system effectively. In the first step, validity-reliability studies were performed with 264 individuals using hearing aids. In the second step, 30 individuals using hearing aids were given verbal and hands-on training on the induction loop system. Before and after training with hearing aids (noiseless, noise, noise + induction system active) in three different environments, questions on the scale were asked twice in total from the beginning to the end of the study.

The significance of the differences between the values obtained as a result of the application of word lists in three different test settings was examined by repeating the measurements variance analysis. As a result of the post hoc analysis, P = 0.002 between test 3 (10.7, 1.53) and test 1 (11.7, 0.7) was calculated. There appears to be a statistically significant difference with the present situation (P < 0.01). The average scores of the scale between pre and posttraining applications as a preliminary and final test were analysed with a t-test. The final test average was statistically significantly greater than the preliminary test (P < 0.01).

This study shows how important it is for hearing aid users to be informed and to receive the necessary training in order to gain the expected benefit from induction loop systems developed to improve speech intelligibility in noisy environments.