Monaural Hearing Aid Fitting Results in Patients with Presbycusis

Abstract

Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of the monaural hearing aid (HA) fitting on hearing and satisfaction in patients with presbycusis. Materials and Methods: This prospective study conducted with forty newly diagnosed patients with presbycusis that were prescribed an HA monaurally for the first time. Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA), pure tone audiometry thresholds (PTA) and speech discrimination score (SDS) were determined before and after six-month usage of HA. Also, International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) scores was determined after six months usage of HA for each patient. Results: HHIA scores was significantly improved (p < 0.01) after six months usage of HA. According to IOI-HA scores, 92.5% of the patients experienced at least moderate satisfaction. The mean SDS were significantly improved in both ears, especially in the aided ear (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the before and after mean PTA in both ears. Conclusions: Although the benefit and satisfaction rates are higher in binaural HA users when compared the monaural HA users, we observed a significant improvement in satisfaction and SDS after six months usage of monaural HA. Improved satisfaction and benefit were observed in patients with used HA more than 8 hours a day especially.