Do Severe-profound Hearing Impaired Adults Perform Better in Speech Perception With Frequency Compression Switched on or Off or Fitted to Hearing Loss
Overview
- Phase
- N/A
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Frequency Compression
- Sponsor
- University College, London
- Enrollment
- 27
- Primary Endpoint
- Adaptive Bamford-Kowal-Bench Test
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 5 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to investigate the functional benefits of frequency compression vs no frequency compression or fitted to hearing loss in severe-profound hearing impaired adults with high frequency hearing losses. Thus, assessing whether hearing aids for this patient population can be adapted to improve speech perception.
Detailed Description
Frequency compression is a feature available on some digital hearing aids, which is aimed at increasing the audibility of high frequency sounds. It works by taking sounds above a fixed start frequency and compresses it into lower frequencies where residual hearing is better.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Participants must be over 18 years of age- This study is looking at the use of frequency compression \& its effects of speech perception in adults.
- •No ear surgery that would make it impossible to fit a hearing aid- To ensure limited confounding variables.
- •No history of ear surgery within the last 12 months- To ensure limited confounding variables.
- •No history of ear infection(s) within the last 6 months- To ensure no contraindications and limited confounding variables to testing.
- •No otoscopic abnormality making it impossible to fit a hearing aid- To ensure no contraindications to testing.
- •Bilateral severe-profound hearing impairment with air conduction thresholds \>71dBHL within the frequency range of 250Hz to 4 kHz- To analyse the effects of frequency compression on speech perception within this patient population.
- •Post lingual deafness, with good spoken English- To ensure reliability of speech testing.
- •Previous bilateral digital hearing aid experience (6+ months)- To ensure limited confounding variables.
- •Written consent required.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Participants under the age of 18 years.
- •History of ear surgery making it impossible to fit a hearing aid.
- •History of ear surgery within the last 12 months.
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Adaptive Bamford-Kowal-Bench Test
Time Frame: 4 weeks post hearing aid fitting with adapted hearing aid feature
Aided Sentence Test
CHEAR Auditory Perception Test
Time Frame: 4 weeks post hearing aid fitting with adapted hearing aid feature
Aided Monosyllabic Speech Test