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Sound quality judgment during acclimatization of hearing aid
A Ovegård1, G Lundberg, B Hagerman
1Department of Ear, Eye and Skin, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. anders.ovegard@it.tyreso.se
Scandinavian Audiology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
This study found that behind-the-ear hearing aids significantly improved sound quality for individuals with sensorineural hearing loss. Improvements in clarity and overall impression were noted, especially in speech and music programs.
Area of Science:
- Audiology and Hearing Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Speech and Hearing Sciences
Background:
- Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) affects sound perception.
- Hearing aid use is a primary intervention for SNHL.
- Objective fitting methods like the NAL (National Acoustic Laboratories) method are crucial for optimizing hearing aid performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids in subjects with SNHL.
- To assess sound quality perception in various listening environments.
- To determine the impact of hearing aid use on clarity and overall impression of sound.
Main Methods:
- Ten subjects with SNHL, new to hearing aids, participated.
- BTE hearing aids were fitted using the NAL method.
- Subjects evaluated sound quality in three programmed situations: speech, music, and background noise, in their home environment.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in sound quality judgments were observed between wearing and not wearing hearing aids.
- Excluding background noise programs, significant improvements over time were found in clarity and total impression.
- The NAL fitting method demonstrated efficacy in improving subjective sound perception for SNHL patients.
Conclusions:
- BTE hearing aids, fitted using the NAL method, significantly enhance sound quality for individuals with SNHL.
- Hearing aids provide notable benefits for speech and music perception, improving clarity and overall listening experience.
- Subjective sound quality assessments are vital for evaluating hearing aid effectiveness in real-world environments.