Studies of Hearing-Aid Outcome Measures in Older Adults: A Comparison of Technologies and an Examination of Individual Differences

Abstract

This article first compares differences in hearing-aid outcome for groups of older adults fitted with different hearing-aid technologies, ranging from one-channel linear aids with output-limiting compression to four-channel wide-dynamic-range-compression devices with directional microphones. A total of four technologies were examined with 52 to 55 older adults fitted with each technology and assessed with multiple outcome measures. The only significant difference in performance across technologies was superior aided speech recognition in babble for the directional hearing aids when assessed in the sound booth with speech delivered at 0 degrees azimuth and competing babble delivered from 180 degrees azimuth. Importantly, however, all four groups, each with a different technology, demonstrated significant improvements in speech recognition in babble and indicated that they were satisfied with their hearing aids, found them to be beneficial, and used them � 7 to 8 hours per day, on average. Given the lack of differences in technology, the data were then pooled across groups to form one large data set of outcome measures from 333 older adults. From these data, guidelines were developed for the interpretation of individual scores from patients in other clinics with similar demographics as being ‘‘below average,’’ ‘‘average,’’ or ‘‘above average.’’