Hearing Aid Users Research Articles

The Effect of Different Adaptation Formulas on Mid-Latency Auditory Evoked Potentials in Adults with Hearing Aids

Introduction: We were conducting this study to evaluate the effects of different hearing aid adaptation formulas on middle latency responses (MLR) in adult hearing aid users. Methods: The study included 72 participants: those with moderate hearing loss using hearing aids with two different formulas for the last year, those with moderate hearing loss not using hearing aids, and those without hearing loss. Sixteen participants using NAL-NL1 and NAL-RP formulas were Group 1; twenty using NAL-NL2 and DSL formulas were Group 2; fifteen with hearing loss not using devices were Group 3; and twenty-one without hearing loss were Group 4. We obtained and compared MLR responses, including Na latency, Pa latency, and Na-Pa amplitude. Results: Group 1 mean Na-Pa amplitude value was found to be higher than Group 2 (p = 0.001). No significant difference was observed between Group 1 and Group 2 in terms of Na latency and Pa latency values (p = 0.001; p = 0.035). It was observed that the mean Na-Pa amplitude values in Group 1 and Group 2 were higher than Group 3 (p = 0.001), but this elevation reached the level of statistical significance only in Group 1. No difference was observed between Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 in terms of Na latency and Pa latency values (p = 0.001; p = 0.035). Compared with those without hearing loss (Group 4), participants with hearing loss (Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3) had longer Na latency and Pa latency values (p = 0.001; p = 0.035), and Na-Pa amplitudes were lower (p = 0.001). The effect of current (tested) hearing aid usage time on Na latency, Pa latency, and Na-Pa amplitude values of Group 1 and Group 2 was not observed. In all groups, there was a positive correlation between audiometric airway/bone conduction pure tone averages and speech acquisition threshold values, Na latency and Pa latency values, and a negative correlation between Na-Pa amplitude values. In all groups, there was a negative correlation between speech discrimination scores and Na and Pa latency values, as well as a positive correlation between Na and Pa amplitude values. There was a positive correlation between age and Pa latency values in all groups, as well as a negative correlation between Na and Pa amplitude values. Conclusion: Middle latency responses are affected by the presence of hearing loss, the use of hearing aids, and different hearing aid adaptation formulas. MLR measurements with a hearing aid can be used as an objective test to evaluate the benefit of hearing aid use.

Sounds of Nature and Hearing Loss: A Call to Action.

The ability to monitor surrounding natural sounds and scenes is important for performing many activities in daily life and for overall well-being. Yet, unlike speech, perception of natural sounds and scenes is relatively understudied in relation to hearing loss, despite the documented restorative health effects. We present data from first-time hearing aid users describing "rediscovered" natural sounds they could now perceive with clarity. These data suggest that hearing loss not only diminishes recognition of natural sounds, but also limits people's awareness of the richness of their environment, thus limiting their connection to it. Little is presently known about the extent hearing aids can restore the perception of abundance, clarity, or intensity of natural sounds. Our call to action outlines specific steps to improve the experience of natural sounds and scenes for people with hearing loss-an overlooked aspect of their quality of life.

The Role of Hearing Aids in Improving Dual-Task Gait Performance in Older Adults With Presbycusis: A Cognitive and Motor Analysis.

Cognitive decline is a common challenge faced by older individuals with presbycusis; their performance on dual-task (DT) activities is generally lower compared to those without hearing loss. However, the influence of hearing aids on nonauditory cognitive decline in this population remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect of hearing aids on nonauditory DT performance in older adults with presbycusis. This study included older people with presbycusis who used hearing aids (P&HA group), those with presbycusis who did not use hearing aids (PoHA group), and a control group of healthy adults. Forward and backward digit span tests and timed up and go test (TUG) were administered to all individuals. TUG and motor and cognitive (forward and backward digit span) tasks were applied simultaneously to evaluate the participants' DT performance. The study comprised 60 individuals with presbycusis (19 females, 41 males; mean age: 73.23±6.49years) and 30 healthy adults (15 females, 15 males; mean age: 35.93±8.57years). Healthy adults performed better than the P&HA and PoHA groups in all the administered tests (p<0.05). There was a moderate negative relationship between the severity of hearing loss and the forward and backward digit span test performances (p<0.05). The P&HA group performed better than the PoHA group on the DT cognitive forward and backward digit span tests. The use of hearing aids and their proper fitting are important not only for improving communication skills and reducing listening effort but also for supporting nonauditory cognitive functions, minimizing the risk of falls during DT activities, and enhancing the overall quality of life.

Real and Virtual Lecture Rooms: Validation of a Virtual Reality System for the Perceptual Assessment of Room Acoustical Quality

Enhancing the acoustical quality in learning environments is necessary, especially for hearing aid (HA) users. When in-field evaluations cannot be performed, virtual reality (VR) can be adopted for acoustical quality assessments of existing and new buildings, contributing to the acquisition of subjective impressions in lab settings. To ensure an accurate spatial reproduction of the sound field in VR for HA users, multi-speaker-based systems can be employed to auralize a given environment. However, most systems require a lot of effort due to cost, size, and construction. This work deals with the validation of a VR-system based on a 16-speaker-array synced with a VR headset, arranged to be easily replicated in small non-anechoic spaces and suitable for HA users. Both objective and subjective validations are performed against a real university lecture room of 800 m3 and with 2.3 s of reverberation time at mid-frequencies. Comparisons of binaural and monoaural room acoustic parameters are performed between measurements in the real lecture room and its lab reproduction. To validate the audiovisual experience, 32 normal-hearing subjects were administered the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) on the overall sense of perceived presence. The outcomes confirm that the system is a promising and feasible tool to predict the perceived acoustical quality of a room.

Adaptation of the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) in Hindi

PurposeThe specific objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to translate and adapt the English version of the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) into Hindi, (2) to present data obtained from the hearing aid users, (3) and to investigate the effect of different factors on effective hearing aid use using the Hindi version of the IOI-HA.MethodThe English version of IOI-HA was translated to Hindi by three native Hindi speakers who were proficient in both Hindi and English and had Hindi as their first language. The Hindi version of IOI-HA along with a demographic questionnaire was given to 100 experienced hearing aid users who were literate and more than 18 years of age.ResultsThe findings indicated 53% of individuals utilize their hearing aids for over 8 h daily, while 46% use them for 4 to 8 h a day. A greater number of participants experienced benefits from wearing their hearing aids, suggesting their overall effectiveness for users. Also, 64% of people said their HA was fulfilling their expectations. Sixty-seven percent of participants said life has become quite a lot better with HA usage. The results revealed that age, gender, and type of hearing loss showed no significant association with any test item.ConclusionThe Hindi version of the IOI-HA has proven to be a valuable self-assessment tool for hearing aid users. It aids clinicians and audiological practitioners in comprehending the challenges faced by users and can offer guidance for counseling and assessing the benefits derived from hearing aids.

Speech sound errors in adolescents with congenital hearing loss

Children with hearing impairment (HI) often have vowel and consonant errors. Speech-language pathologists need this information to correct articulation errors. Despite the prevalence of research on speech sound error patterns in hearing aid users, there is a lack of literature in the adolescent group. The present study aimed to investigate the common speech sound errors in HI adolescents from the Malayalam-speaking community who have severe to profound hearing loss and are digital hearing aid users. A total of 15 monolingual Malayalam-speaking children between the ages of 9 and 16 years were recruited who had been diagnosed with speech sound disorders secondary to congenital hearing impairment. The minimum language age for inclusion in the study was over three years. Articulatory error analysis was performed for all consonants and vowels of the Malayalam language, and frequently produced vowel and consonant errors were included in the SODA and PMV analyses. The consonants frequently produced speech sound errors and no vowel errors were found. The most commonly produced consonant errors were fricatives, trills, laterals, velars, and alveolars. Substitution and omission errors were the most common type of error. Place and manner errors were more common than other types of errors. The results of this study may help parents and rehabilitation professionals to understand the common errors that persist even after intensive intervention. It may also be a useful guide for AAC therapists and speech-language pathologists in setting appropriate speech production goals for adolescents with HI.

Exploring adult hearing aid user experiences: meaning extraction methods, content patterns, and associations with demographic and outcome variables

Objective Employing automated language analysis, specifically Meaning Extraction Method (MEM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), to identify key factors in open-text responses about hearing aid experiences. Design Exploratory, cross-sectional design, using an online questionnaire. Responses to a single open-ended question were analysed using MEM, PCA, regression, and correlation analyses. Study sample Participants (n = 538) included adult hearing aid users sampled from the Hearing Tracker website community and Lexie Hearing user databases in the United States. Results The MEM-derived items revealed six factors related to hearing aid experiences: (1) life change, (2) social situation, (3) quality of life, (4) impact and speech understanding, (5) communication and interaction, and (6) music and environmental sounds. IOI-HA item 3 had the most statistically significant correlations with PCA factors. Quantile regression revealed that factors one and two significantly predicted the IOI-HA total score. Positive correlations were observed between self-reported hearing difficulty and factors one, four, and five, as well as between factor one and general health and factor two and physical activity. Conclusion Natural language analysis of open-ended textual responses can offer valuable insights into hearing aid users’ experiences. Future studies should aim to refine this methodology to enhance clinical relevance and generalisability.

Risk factors for treatment-related sensorineural hearing loss and hearing aid use in medulloblastoma patients: an observational cohort study.

This study aimed to analyze treatment-related risk factors for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and an indication for hearing aids (IHA) in medulloblastoma patients after craniospinal radiotherapy (CSRT) and platin-based chemotherapy (PCth). Atotal of 58patients (116 ears) with medulloblastoma and clinically non-relevant pre-treatment hearing thresholds were included. Cranial radiotherapy and PCth were applied sequentially according to the HIT 2000 study protocol or post-study recommendations, the NOA-07 protocol, or the PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumor) 5MB therapy protocol. Audiological outcomes up to amaximum post-therapeutic follow-up of 4years were assessed. The incidence, post-treatment progression, and time-to-onset of SNHL, defined as Muenster classification grade ≥MS2b, were evaluated. Risk factors for IHA were analyzed separately. While 39patients received conventionally fractionated RT (CFRT; group1), 19patients received hyperfractionated RT (HFRT; group2). Over amedian follow-up of 40months, 69.2% of ears in group1 experienced SNHL ≥MS2b compared to 89.5% in group2 (p = 0.017). In multivariable Cox regressions analysis, younger age and increased mean cochlear radiation dose calculated as the equivalent dose in 2‑Gy fractions (EQD2) were associated with time-to-onset of SNHL ≥MS2b (p = 0.019 and p = 0.023, respectively) and IHA (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively). Tomotherapy and supine positioning were associated with alower risk for IHA in univariable modelling only (p = 0.048 and p = 0.027, respectively). Young age and cochlear EQD2 Dmean ≥40 Gy are significant risk factors for the incidence, degree, and time-to-event of SNHL as well as for IHA in medulloblastoma patients.

EXPRESS: Memory for health information: Influences of age, hearing aids, and multisensory presentation.

We investigated how presenting online health information in different modalities can influence memory, as this may be particularly important for older adults who may need to make regular decisions about health, and could also face additional challenges such as memory deficits and sensory impairment (hearing loss). We tested whether, as predicted by some literature, older adults would disproportionately benefit from audio-visual (AV) information compared with visual-only (VO) or auditory-only (AO) information, relative to young adults. Participants were 78 young adults (aged 18-30 years old, mean=25.50 years), 78 older adults with normal hearing (aged 65-80 years old, mean=68.34 years), and 78 older adults who wear hearing aids (aged 65-79 years old, mean=70.89 years). There were no significant differences in the amount of information remembered across modalities (AV, VO, AO), no differences across participant groups, and we did not find the predicted interaction between participant group and modality. The older-adult groups performed worse than young adults on background measures of cognition, with the exception of a vocabulary test, suggesting that they may have been using strategies based on prior knowledge and experience to compensate for cognitive and/or sensory deficits. The findings indicate that cost-effective, text-based websites may be just as useful as those with edited videos for conveying health information to all age groups, and hearing aid users.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Use Among Persons Living With Dementia in the US

Dementia and hearing loss are prevalent and represent public health priorities, but little is known about the prevalence of hearing loss among persons living with dementia at a population level. To estimate the prevalence of hearing loss and hearing aid use among a nationally representative sample of persons living with dementia. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from Medicare beneficiaries who participated in round 11 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). The analytic sample included participants who had complete audiometric data and a dementia classification, and survey weights were applied to yield nationally representative estimates. Data were collected from June to November 2021, and analyzed from October 12, 2023, to February 27, 2024. Audiometric measures of hearing loss and self-reported hearing aid use. National prevalence estimates of possible and probable dementia and hearing loss were estimated by applying NHATS survey weights of sex and age to the population aged 71 years or older based on the US Census Bureau's 2020 American Community Survey data. The analytic sample comprised 2613 NHATS participants (74.6% aged 71-79 years and 25.4% aged ≥80 years; 52.9% female). Overall prevalence of hearing loss among participants with dementia was estimated at 79.4% (95% CI, 72.1%-85.3%). The prevalence of hearing loss increased with age, from 61.1% (95% CI, 37.7%-80.2%) among participants aged 71 to 74 years to 94.2% (95% CI, 88.8%-97.0%) among those aged 85 years or older. Among participants with hearing loss, 21.7% (95% CI, 16.2%-28.3%) reported hearing aid use. In this cross-sectional study, the findings suggest that hearing loss is highly prevalent among individuals with dementia, with a low prevalence of hearing aid use. These findings reveal a potential opportunity for intervention.

Hearing Loss, Incident Parkinson Disease, and Treatment With Hearing Aids

The risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD) after objective hearing loss is unknown. PD studies using self-reported hearing loss are insensitive, and objective data are lacking. To examine the association of hearing loss with incident PD in US veterans and its effect modification by well-established prodromal conditions and hearing aids. This cohort study analyzed electronic health record data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans who had an audiogram from January 1, 1999, to December 30, 2022. Individuals with data missing or a preexisting PD diagnosis were excluded. Audiogram-confirmed hearing loss. Cumulative incidence of PD was calculated with adjustment for competing risk of death. Among 7 296 051 veterans with an audiogram, 3 596 365 were included. They were mostly male (n = 3 452 898 [96%]) and had a mean (SD) age of 67 (10.3) years. A total of 750 010 individuals (20.8%) had normal hearing at the time of audiometry examination; among those with hearing loss, 1 080 651 (30.0%), 1 039 785 (28.9%), 568 296 (15.8%), and 157 623 (4.3%) individuals had mild (20-<35 dB), moderate (35-<50 dB), moderate to severe (50-<65 dB), and severe to profound (65-120 dB) hearing loss, respectively. Age, gender, and smoking history were balanced between all exposed and unexposed groups with further adjustment for race, ethnicity, and frailty. At 10 years after the baseline audiogram, the numbers of additional cases of PD were 6.1 (95% CI, 4.5-7.79, 15.8 (95% CI, 12.8-18.8), 16.2 (95% CI, 11.9-20.6), and 12.1 (95% CI, 4.5-19.6) among veterans with mild, moderate, moderate to severe, and severe to profound hearing loss, respectively, compared with those with normal hearing. When combined with established prodromal conditions, hearing loss was associated with 5.7 (95% CI, 2.2-9.2) additional cases of PD at 10 years compared with either condition alone. With prompt hearing aid dispensation, incident cases of PD decreased by 21.6 cases (95% CI, 19.5-23.6) at 10 years. Hearing loss appears to be an independent risk factor for later development of PD. Hearing aids attenuate this risk, and therefore widespread screening for hearing loss and appropriate use of hearing aids may reduce the incidence of PD. Additional studies are needed to examine the mechanisms underlying the association between hearing loss and PD.

Exploring Attitudes Towards Hearing Aid Use Among Middle-Aged Adults with Hearing Loss: A Quantitative and Validation Study.

Exploring Attitudes Towards Hearing Aid Use Among Middle-Aged Adults with Hearing Loss: A Quantitative and Validation Study.

Impact of hearing rehabilitation programs on presbycusis management: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

In the field of audiology, numerous studies have sought to understand and improve hearing rehabilitation programs for older adults afflicted with presbycusis. Despite this, the field lacks uniform standards pertaining to the intervention methods, frequency, and duration of such programs. These discrepancies have led to varying test results and inconsistent findings across multiple studies. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of hearing rehabilitation programs in enhancing the utilization of hearing aids among older adults with presbycusis. We conducted a comprehensive exploration of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify randomized controlled trials assessing the role of hearing rehabilitation programs for patients with age-related hearing loss. The search period spanned from the inception of each database to September 12, 2024. Outcomes were synthesized using RevMan 5.4 software. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, involving 598 patients (290 in the intervention group and 308 in the control group). It was observed that hearing rehabilitation programs significantly diminished self-perceived hearing impairment [MD = -5.80, 95% CI = (-8.16, -3.44), p < 0.00001] and negative emotional states [MD = -1.66, 95% CI = (-3.02, -0.29), p = 0.02], while enhancing hearing aid utilization [MD = 0.22, 95% CI = (0.08, 0.36), p = 0.002]. Nonetheless, these programs did not significantly augment patients' satisfaction with their hearing aids [MD = 0.09, 95% CI = (-0.17, 0.26), p = 0.66]. Hearing rehabilitation programs significantly improve hearing aid outcomes, reduce self-perceived hearing impairment, and alleviate negative emotional states in patients. However, the current body of evidence is insufficient to conclusively indicate that these programs enhance patient satisfaction with daily hearing aid usage.

Effectiveness of the active communication education program in improving the general quality of life of older adults who use hearing aids: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundHearing loss in older adults affects general, generic health-related and disease-specific quality of life (QoL). The conventional strategy to address it is through hearing aids, which have been shown to improve disease-specific QoL. However, the long-term results regarding general quality of life are unknown, and communication problems and stigma associated with hearing loss may persist. An effective intervention strategy to address these problems is group communication programs, most notably Active Communication Education (ACE). This program has been shown to increase communication strategies and reduce communication activity limitations and participation restrictions. These precedents allow us to hypothesize that this program could improve general QoL.MethodsA randomized clinical trial was conducted on 114 older adult hearing aid users. Fifty-four subjects composed the intervention group that received the ACE program, while 60 subjects composed the control group that received an informational-lectures type intervention. The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was used to measure general QoL. Measurements were taken before and right after the intervention, with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. Multilevel linear mixed models were estimated, considering the WHOQOL-BREF dimension scores and total score as the outcomes, and an interaction term between time since intervention and group as the predictor. Within- and between-group comparisons were made.ResultsCompared to the baseline time-point, the ACE group showed significant improvements right after the intervention, and at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups for the dimensions of psychological health, social relationships, environment, and total score. Compared to the control group, the ACE group exhibited significantly greater improvements in the social dimension at all postintervention assessments, as well as in the environment dimension and total score at the 12-month follow-up.ConclusionsThe ACE program improved general QoL in terms of social relationships and environment dimensions, which lasted up to 12 months after the intervention. Therefore, ACE is positioned as an effective complement for HA users, enhancing and delivering new benefits related to broader aspects of QoL not necessarily tied to health.Trial registrationISRCTN54021189 (retrospectively registered on 18/07/2023).

Benefit-Cost Analyses of Hearing Aids, Over-the-Counter Hearing Devices, and Hearing Care Services.

Limited accessibility to hearing health care threatens healthy aging in place for older adults with hearing loss. A willingness-to-pay (WTP) approach was used to determine benefits and value of prescription advanced digital technology (ADT) hearing aids, over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices, and rehabilitative services using benefit-cost analyses. This study was a cross-sectional survey with chart review of hearing aid users at two independent audiology practices. Seventy hearing aid users (response rate: 15.6%) provided their WTP for ADT prescription hearing aids, OTC hearing devices, and hearing rehabilitative services. Benefit-cost ratios and net social benefit were calculated using deterministic and exploratory approaches. Point estimates for benefit-cost ratios and net social benefit were derived using bootstrap sampling with replacement (N = 5,000). Median WTP for ADT prescription hearing aids and rehabilitative services were $2,000 and $250, respectively. WTP was lowest for OTC devices (Mdn = $0; maximum = $500). Benefit-cost ratios and net social benefit for ADT prescription hearing aids, OTC devices, and hearing rehabilitative services favored these interventions when out-of-pocket costs remained low. Benefit-cost analyses also produced results favoring prescription ADT hearing aid intervention with costs as high as $1,530 per device. WTP results indicated that all interventions under study have a measurable consumer-perceived benefit. Results of benefit-cost analyses favored the interventions but only when costs were lower than market prices. The benefit-cost analysis results for hearing care services underscore their value when provided as part of a comprehensive rehabilitative plan that may inform future health policy changes.

Effects of Frequency-Composition Algorithm and Phoneme-Based Auditory Training in Older Hearing Aid Users.

Frequency-lowering (FL) algorithms improve the audibility of high-frequency sounds by shifting inaudible high-frequency components to audible low-frequency regions. However, the FL algorithm has yielded mixed findings. This study involved two experiments. The first experiment investigated whether objective and subjective auditory outcomes would be enhanced by activating frequency composition (Fcomp), which is a type of FL technique. The second experiment determined whether auditory training with Fcomp activation would provide perceptual benefits to older hearing aid users. Twelve older hearing aid users with moderate to profound high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss participated in this study. In Experiment I, all participants received a 4-week adaptation period to Fcomp before the measurement, and then the influence of Fcomp was evaluated. In Experiment II, among the 12 participants in Experiment I, five received 8-week phoneme-based auditory training while activating Fcomp, whereas the remaining seven did not receive training but continued to use Fcomp as non-trained controls. In Experiment I, 4-week passive accli-matization period to Fcomp did not improve speech-in-quiet recognition or self-perceived sound quality. In Experiment II, active pho-neme-based training enhanced recognition of consonants and words as well as better speech-quality ratings for trained participants. The consecutive use of Fcomp did not lead to any differences for non-trained participants. Overall, phoneme-based auditory training would allow older hearing aid users to relearn frequency-lowered speech sounds and reduce phonetic confusion. However, the analytical training approach did not lead to transfer to sentence recognition or overall satisfaction with the hearing aids.

Result of consistent use of hearing aid in speech and language development.

Objective: To determine the benefits of proper guidance and proper use of hearing aid in language development age. Study Design: Descriptive Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of ENT, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Karachi Medical and Dental College. Period: January 2022 to December 2023. Methods: In this study those cases were included which came with hearing loss. Both sexes were included in this study. After informed consent complete history and examination was done. Also relevant investigations were performed where required. Results: In this study, male were 72 (60%), male female ratio was 1.5:1. Highest number of patients were between the age of 6-8 years 60 (50%). Between 1.5 to 3 years, 51 children were properly guided and followed the proper instruction of use of hearing aid while 9 children were not properly guided and not properly used of hearing aid. 92 patients (76.6%) used hearing aid consistent with proper guidance, in which 79 (85.8%) children developed good speech and language. while 13 (14.1%) children were found poor in speech and language development while 28 (23.33%) children did not use hearing aid properly and all found poor in speech and language. Conclusion: Proper use of hearing aid which may be beneficial in improvement of word recognition and speech development in hearing impaired child under proper guidance and training from otologist and audiologist.

Uncovering the effects of pandemic conditions on hearing aid experiences: a dual perspective from audiologists and hearing aid users

Purpose: This study examines the effects of the pandemic on hearing aid experiences from the perspectives of audiologists and patients, as well as communication challenges faced by both users and non-users of hearing aids. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of two phases: a longitudinal study examining the services provided by audiologists during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and after the first vaccination dose. The second phase involved a survey of 120 elderly individuals with hearing loss, divided into hearing aid users and non-users for assessing communication challenges. Data was collected from comprehensive audiology clinics using a series of checklists. Results: Analysis of the frequency of services related to hearing aids revealed that during the peak period, the majority of visits were for acquiring batteries and hearing aids, while fewer visits were for fitting and fine-tuning the devices. After vaccination the pattern was changed. In the second phase, significant differences were observed between the hearing aid users and non-users with regards to their ability to comprehend speech while wearing mask, communicating at a safe distance, and following TV news. Conclusions: The distribution of requested services differed during the peak period and the post-vaccination period. There was a noticeable increase in the purchase and fitting of hearing aids after vaccination. However, patients encountered difficulties due to the limited availability of tele-audiology services and delayed services from hearing aid companies. The benefits of hearing aids were impacted by the pandemic as many people did not seek adjustments for their devices.

Adapting to non-human listening agencies

One central concept in soundscape studies has been that of an acoustic community, i.e. a group of people sharing an understanding of a listened environment, either acoustic or mediated. This understanding manifests in recognition of sound sources, their communicative function and their discoursive use in everyday life. The growing use of hearing aids, noise-cancelling headphones and other intelligent listening technology renders the soundscape more individual and at the same time introduces a non-human listening agency as a mediator to the individually calibrated soundscape. This raises conceptual and methodological questions of listening abilities in general and of how the listening experience is to be understood as taking place in a shared environment. To illuminate this problematic the paper will present as a case how listening through cochlear implants and their sound prosessors can be understood as a process of adaptation to a mediated acoustic community.

Evaluation of a semi-supervised self-adjustment fine-tuning procedure for hearing aids for asymmetrical hearing loss

Objective This study investigated a previously evaluated self-adjustment procedure with respect to its applicability for asymmetrical hearing loss (AHL). Self-adjusted settings were evaluated for speech recognition in noise and sound preference. Design Participants were given the possibility to adjust the left and right hearing aid separately using a two-dimensional user interface. Two different adjustment sequences were tested. Realistic everyday sound scenes in a laboratory environment were presented. The difference between the ears regarding their speech recognition in noise was tested with two spatial conditions, unaided as well as with the prescriptive formula and the self-adjusted setting. Study sample Nineteen experienced hearing aid users (median age 76 years) with different degrees of AHL were invited to participate in this study. Results Participants adjusted a higher gain slope across frequency in the worse ear than in the better one. The two adjustment sequences resulted in significantly different adjustment durations and gain settings. The difference between the ears regarding speech recognition in noise did not change with the self-adjustment. Overall, group-mean effect sizes were small compared to the parameter space. Conclusions The adjustment procedure can be used also by hearing aid users with AHL to find a possibly preferred gain setting.