Hearing aids are still beneficial to patients, even if they have a low speech discrimination.

Purpose: A speech discrimination score (SDS) is a predictor for the successful use of hearing aids (HAs). This study is to evaluate the efficacy of HAs in patients with a low or poor SDS.

Methods: We enrolled 186 ears using HAs, with an unaided SDS ≤ 64%. They were categorized into four groups by their unaided SDS: 0-16% for Group 1, 20-32% for Group 2, 36-48% for Group 3, and 52-64% for Group 4. Aided SDS was measured 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the use. The Hearing In Noise Test (HINT), the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE), and the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) were assessed.

Results: The SDS increased by 27.4% (12.0 to 39.4%) in Group 1, 26.4% (26.9 to 53.3%) in Group 2, 24.6% (42.2 to 66.8%) in Group 3, and 10.5% (59.5% to 70.0%) in Group 4. HINT composite scores significantly decreased from 22.5 to 15.1 in Group 1, 9.4 to 7.0 in Group 2, and 4.4 to 2.4 in Group 4. Total HHIE score changed from 48.2 to 24.2 in Group 1, 64.0 to 32.8 in Group 2, 37.1 to 16.6 in Group 3, and 55.8 to 40.1 in Group 4 (P < 0.05 in Groups 2, 3, and 4).

Conclusion: In patients with a low SDS, a significant increase in SDS was achieved after the use of HAs, and subjective satisfaction was also acceptable. Low SDS might not be a contraindication for HAs.