The use of self-assessment questionnaires for validation of the results in hearing aid selection and fitting process

PURPOSE:

to verify the effect of the hearing aid use in hearing impaired subjects through a self-assessment questionnaire.

METHODS:

it was used the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids questionnaire to validate the results. It was evaluated 22 hearing aid users, ages between 32 and 85 years, with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss from mild to severe, post-lingual. All the participants were users of amplification with unilateral or bilateral fitting for at least 12 weeks.

RESULTS:

the mean total score obtained in the questionnaire application was 27 and there was no significant difference (p = 0.191) among scores in the seven questions of the questionnaire, the average being of 3.85 points. There was no correlation on results either in patients' age or time of amplification. There was no significant difference in the total score of the questionnaire as well as factors 1 and 2 considering: degree of hearing loss, audiometric configuration, hearing aid model and unilateral or bilateral fitting.

CONCLUSION:

by applying the questionnaire, it was found that the hearing aid use has benefic effects for their users and that they were satisfied with it.

Patient Satisfaction; Quality of Life; Hearing Aids; Questionnaires