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Multiple memory hearing aid. Consistency of program-usage in real-world listening situations
1Department of Audiology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden. Erik.Berninger@aud.hs.sll.se
Scandinavian Audiology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Hearing aid users demonstrated high program selection repeatability in real-world listening. This suggests hearing aid programs effectively adapt to diverse sound environments, improving speech understanding.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Hearing Aid Technology
Background:
- Multiple memory hearing aids offer various programs for different listening situations.
- Assessing the practical usability and user repeatability of these programs is crucial for effective hearing rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the repeatability of hearing aid program selection in everyday listening scenarios.
- To determine if users can consistently select the optimal program for specific environments.
Main Methods:
- A blind field test was conducted with eleven experienced users of the Widex Quattro (WQ) hearing aid system.
- Participants repeatedly selected the best hearing aid program in 15 real-world listening situations.
- Speech-to-noise thresholds were measured to assess audibility improvements.
Main Results:
- Repeatability of program selection significantly exceeded chance levels across most listening conditions.
- Maximum repeatability (100%) was observed in an industrial environment.
- High repeatability (over 70%) was noted in demanding situations like parties and group conversations.
- A significant improvement in aided speech-to-noise threshold (3.7 dB) was recorded.
Conclusions:
- Experienced hearing aid users exhibit high repeatability in selecting appropriate programs for diverse listening environments.
- This consistent program selection suggests effective user adaptation and potential benefits for speech intelligibility.
- The findings support the utility of multiple memory hearing aids in real-world auditory rehabilitation.
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