Impact of patient attributes on the relationship between hearing handicap and readiness to pursue audiologic rehabilitation.

Objective: This study explored whether select patient attributes were significant predictors of readiness to pursue hearing aids (HAs) and estimated the impacts of hearing aid self-efficacy (HASE) and emotional states, on the relationship between perceived hearing handicap and readiness to pursue HAs.

Design & Study Sample: Sixty-two adults with self-reported hearing difficulties and no previous experience with HAs self-reported their hearing handicap, HASE, personality, emotional states in varying contexts, and readiness to pursue HAs.

Results: Individuals with greater hearing handicap and who had experienced hearing loss for a shorter duration were more ready to pursue HAs.

Shared experiences among successful hearing aid users with high hearing aid self-efficacy.

Objective: While targeted rehabilitation can enhance hearing aid self-efficacy (HASE), little research has been done to determine the factors contributing to its predictive value. By investigating the experiences of individuals who successfully use HAs and have high levels of HASE, we hoped to illuminate specific strategies and/or sources of support these individuals share that might explain why high HASE is often linked to successful outcomes.

Design And Study Sample: This qualitative study explored the experiences of five older adults who were successful HA users and reported having high HASE.

"It Depends on the Situation": How Hearing-Specific Contexts Affect the Way Adults With Hearing Loss Report Their Personal Attributes.

Purpose: This study examined how adults with untreated hearing loss respond to surveys about their self-efficacy, personality traits, and affective states when assessed "in general" and in listening-related contexts. We also explored the associations between hearing aid self-efficacy (HASE) and listening-related personality traits and affective states.

Method: Sixty-two adults with self-reported hearing difficulties and no experience with hearing aids (HAs) participated in this descriptive study.

An exploration of associations between hearing aid self-efficacy and other measurable characteristics of naïve and experienced hearing aid users.

Objective: The present study aimed to clarify the associations between Hearing Aid Self-efficacy (HASE) and other traits such as working memory, personality and hearing aid (HA) experience.

Design And Study Sample: Fifty-four adults (both naïve and experienced HA users) were included in this exploratory descriptive study. Their working memory, personality, HASE, HA experience and practical HA skills were evaluated.

Impact of Hearing Aid Technology on Outcomes in Daily Life III: Localization.

Objective: Compared to basic-feature hearing aids, premium-feature hearing aids have more advanced technologies and sophisticated features. The objective of this study was to explore the difference between premium-feature and basic-feature hearing aids in horizontal sound localization in both laboratory and daily life environments. We hypothesized that premium-feature hearing aids would yield better localization performance than basic-feature hearing aids.

Impact of Hearing Aid Technology on Outcomes in Daily Life II: Speech Understanding and Listening Effort.

Objectives: Modern hearing aid (HA) devices include a collection of acoustic signal-processing features designed to improve listening outcomes in a variety of daily auditory environments. Manufacturers market these features at successive levels of technological sophistication. The features included in costlier premium hearing devices are designed to result in further improvements to daily listening outcomes compared with the features included in basic hearing devices.

Impact of Hearing Aid Technology on Outcomes in Daily Life I: The Patients' Perspective.

Objectives: One of the challenges facing hearing care providers when recommending hearing aids is the choice of device technology level. Major manufacturers market families of hearing aids that are described as spanning the range from basic technology to premium technology. Premium technology hearing aids include acoustical processing capabilities (features) that are not found in basic technology instruments.

A Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring Listening Effort As Part of an Audiologic Test Battery.

Purpose: We evaluated 2 measures of listening effort (a self-report measure and a word recall measure) regarding their suitability for inclusion in a comprehensive audiologic testing protocol. The relationship between the 2 measures was explored, and both measures were examined with regard to validity, sensitivity, and effect on speech intelligibility performance.

Method: Thirty adults with normal hearing participated.

Impact of advanced hearing aid technology on speech understanding for older listeners with mild to moderate, adult-onset, sensorineural hearing loss.

Background: Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health conditions of older people. Hearing aids are the customary treatment and they improve quality of life in older adults. Even so, relatively few older adults with uncomplicated, mild to moderate, adult-onset, sensorineural hearing loss use hearing aids.

Implications of high-frequency cochlear dead regions for fitting hearing aids to adults with mild to moderately severe hearing loss.

Objectives: A cochlear dead region (DR) occurs at a given frequency when there is a loss of normal functioning of inner hair cells tuned to that frequency. It has been suggested that existence of high-frequency DRs has implications for hearing aid fitting, and that the optimal amount of high-frequency gain is reduced for these patients. However, the data supporting this suggestion has been obtained using listeners with severe or profound hearing loss.

Cochlear dead regions in typical hearing aid candidates: prevalence and implications for use of high-frequency speech cues.

Objectives: This study had two purposes. The first was to assess the prevalence of cochlear dead regions (DRs) among listeners with moderate to severe hearing loss that is typical of a large proportion of adult hearing aid wearers. The second was to determine whether subjects who tested positive for DRs differed from those without DRs in their ability to utilize high-frequency speech cues in a laboratory test.

Development of APHAB norms for WDRC hearing aids and comparisons with original norms.

Objectives: This study was undertaken for two purposes: First, to provide a comparison of subjective performance and benefit measured with the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) questionnaire for two groups. One group included hearing-impaired individuals using 1990s-era linear processing hearing aids. The other group included hearing-impaired individuals using more current wide-dynamic range compression (WDRC)-capable hearing aids fit using current practice protocols.