Purpose
To evaluate the results of the “Practical Hearing Aid Skills Test (PHAST)” in new HA users. To assess the inter-rater reliability of the PHAST.
Methods
Descriptive, longitudinal analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial. The PHAST was administered to 60 new users of behind-the-ear and in-the-ear instruments, immediately and 10 days after the hearing aid fitting. The assessments were recorded and later analyzed and scored by one or two independent evaluators.
Results
About 55% of the participants showed fair and poor performance on the PHAST. Battery replacement and hearing aid insertion tasks were the most difficult to complete. Total scores as well as “opening battery compartment” and “hearing aid insertion” tasks scores, improved significantly between the first and second administration of the PHAST. The PHAST performance was correlated with the participant’s age. Inter-rater reliability was high and significant concerning the total score and for six PHAST individual tasks.
Conclusion
New hearing aid users have different hearing aid handling skills that increase in the initial periods of HA use. The PHAST can be used in the audiology clinic, allowing for a more systematic record of such skills.
Keywords
Hearing loss; Hearing aids; Hearing; Orientation; Hearing disorders
