Unilateral hearing loss and the use of hearing aid: speech recognition, benefit, self-perception of functional performance and satisfaction

Lidiéli Dalla Costa,Sinéia Neujahr Dos Santos,Maristela Julio Costa

doi:10.1590/1982-0216/201921113918

Lidiéli Dalla Costa, Sinéia Neujahr Dos Santos + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-0216/201921113918

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose: to investigate speech recognition in silence and in noise in subjects with unilateral hearing loss with and without hearing aids, and to analyze the benefit, self-perception of functional performance, satisfaction and the use of hearing aids in these subjects. Methods: eleven adults with unilateral, mixed and sensorineural, mild to severe hearing loss participated in this study. Speech recognition was evaluated by the Brazilian Portuguese sentences lists test; functional performance of the hearing was assessed by using the Speech Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale questionnaire; satisfaction was assessed by the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life questionnaire, both in Brazilian Portuguese; and to assess the use of hearing aids, the patient's report was analyzed. Results: the adaptation of hearing aids provided benefits in speech recognition in all positions evaluated, both in silence and in noise. The subjects did not report major limitations in communication activities with the use of hearing aids. They were satisfied with the use of sound amplification. Most of the subjects did not use hearing aids, effectively. The discontinuity of hearing aids use can be justified by the difficulty on perceiving participation’s restriction caused by hearing loss, as well as the benefit of the hearing aid, besides the concern with batteries’ costs and aesthetic aspects. Conclusion: although showing benefits in speech recognition, in silence and in noise, and satisfaction with sound amplification, most subjects with unilateral hearing loss do not effectively use hearing aids.

Highlights

Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) was historically underestimated, but nowadays it is the subject of several studies[1,2,3,4,5], due to its occurrence being more common and because it presents the most adverse effects of what was previously believed
The descriptive analysis of the subjects performance without the hearing aids, obtained based on the LRSS and LRSR, is presented, the latter expressed by the signal/noise ratio (S/R), which is the difference between the levels of presentation of the stimuli of speech and noise (65 dB NPS (A))
Legend: LRSS: Sentence Recognition Threshold in Silence; S/N ratio: Signal-to-noise ratio; (90 ̊): Speech focusing on the side of the worst ear; (0 ̊/0 ̊): Speech and noise focusing on the front; (0 ̊/90 ̊): Speech focusing on front and noise side of the best ear

Summary

Introduction

Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) was historically underestimated, but nowadays it is the subject of several studies[1,2,3,4,5], due to its occurrence being more common and because it presents the most adverse effects of what was previously believed. Subjects with UHL may present academic and communication difficulties, especially in noisy environments, problems in language and pronouncing speech sounds, deficits in central auditory processing, as well as social and emotional difficulties[1,4,6]. These difficulties are related to the lack of binaural hearing, which is the natural condition of the hearing[7]. Binaural hearing provides a better localization of the sound source, binaural summation, elimination of the shadow effect of the head, ability to separate target sounds from environmental noise and better speech recognition in noise[7].

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