Comparison of Performance with Hearing Aid programmed to First-Fit and Optimized Fit
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Optimized hearing aid fitting significantly improves speech understanding in quiet and noisy environments compared to manufacturer first-fit settings. Real-ear verification is crucial for better hearing aid outcomes and user satisfaction.
Area Of Science
- Audiology
- Hearing Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background
- Bilateral sensorineural hearing loss affects numerous adults.
- Hearing aid fitting is critical for auditory rehabilitation.
- Manufacturer first-fit (FF) vs. optimized-fit (OF) approaches vary in audiological outcomes.
Purpose Of The Study
- To compare the impact of FF versus OF hearing aid settings.
- To evaluate effects on real-ear aided response (REAR), aided thresholds, and speech intelligibility.
- To assess speech recognition in quiet and noise using the signal-to-noise ratio at 50% speech intelligibility (SNR-50).
Main Methods
- 15 adults (29-49 years) with no prior hearing aid experience participated.
- A 16-channel digital hearing aid was programmed to FF and optimized NAL-NL2 targets.
- Real-ear measurements, aided thresholds, and speech identification scores (SIS) were assessed.
Main Results
- The FF condition showed significantly lower REAR and aided thresholds across frequencies, especially for soft/moderate inputs.
- The OF condition demonstrated superior SIS in quiet and improved SNR-50.
- Optimized fitting led to better speech recognition in both quiet and noisy environments.
Conclusions
- Real-ear (RE) measures are essential for hearing aid verification.
- Optimized fitting enhances audibility and speech recognition.
- Evidence-based audiology practices improve hearing aid performance and quality of life.
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