A Comparison of Hearing Aid Fitting Methods
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Hearing Loss
- Sponsor
- Sonova AG
- Enrollment
- 44
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB)
- Status
- Completed
- Last Updated
- 2 years ago
Overview
Brief Summary
This investigation will compare hearing aid fitting methods between self-fitting and clinician fitting approaches by using a standardized questionnaire to evaluate subjective hearing aid benefit.
Detailed Description
Participants will be fit with hearing aids using two different fitting methods (fitting A and fitting B). The order of the fitting will be randomized such that half of the participants will start out with fitting A and half of the participants will start out with fitting B. All participants will undergo baseline speech testing and answer a questionnaire about their experiences in daily life without hearing aids. All participants will use devices for a period of 1-2 weeks in their daily lives. After this first home trial, participants will return to the clinic where they will answer questionnaires regarding their experience with the devices. They will also perform aided speech testing. They will then be given devices with the second fitting method and will wear devices for a period of 1-2 weeks in their daily lives. Following the second home trial, all participants will return to the clinic to answer the same questionnaire that was given after home trial #1, and complete aided speech testing. The results for each of the two fitting methods will be analyzed.
Investigators
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Mild to moderate bilateral hearing loss
- •First time (new) hearing aid users or experienced hearing aid users
- •Ability to use a smartphone
- •Fluent in English; ability to read and write in English
- •Willing and able to provide informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
- •Self reported ear-related pathology including otorrhea within 90 days, dizziness, sudden onset or worsening of hearing loss within 90 days, visible deformity of the ear, otalgia
- •Unilateral hearing loss
- •Chronic, severe tinnitus
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB)
Time Frame: Day 1 (unaided testing), Day 14(aided testing for first fitting method) and Day 28 (aided testing for second fitting method) of study
A validated questionnaire that assesses the subjective benefit of hearing aids in daily life. Participants rate their difficulty hearing in different situations, going from Always (99%), Almost Always (87%), Generally (75%), Half the time (50%), Occasionally (25%), Seldom (12%) or Never (1%). For example, the participant may choose "Always" to the statement "When I am having a quiet conversation with a friend, I have difficulty understanding". The questions are categorized into 4 different sub-scales: Ease of Communication (EC), Background Noise (BN), Reverberation (RV), and Aversiveness. The global score is calculated by taking the average of three of the subscales: EC, BN, and RV. The scores can range from 1% to 99%. Global Benefit is calculated by subtracting the aided global score from the unaided global score. The mean global benefit is calculated for each fitting method, and a higher benefit score is better. Result reported is the global benefit score for each fitting method.
Secondary Outcomes
- Speech Perception in Noise, Expressed in Decibel (dB) Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) Loss(Day 1 (unaided/baseline testing) of study, day 14 (aided testing with first fitting method) and day 28 (aided testing with second fitting method) of study)