Self-report outcome in new hearing-aid users: Longitudinal trends and relationships between subjective measures of benefit and satisfaction

Int J Audiol. 2006 Jul;45(7):382-92. doi: 10.1080/14992020600690977.

Abstract

This study focussed on self-report outcome in new hearing-aid users. The objectives of the experiment were changes in self-report outcome over time, and relationships between different subjective measures of benefit and satisfaction. Four outcome inventories and a questionnaire on auditory lifestyle were administered to 25 hearing-aid users repeatedly after hearing-aid fitting, and assessments took place one week, four weeks, and 13 weeks after hearing-aid provision. The results showed that, for first-time users who used their hearing aids more than four hours per day, self-reported outcome increased over 13 weeks in some scales, although there was no change in amplification during this time. Furthermore, it was found that, for data collected immediately post-fitting, some subscales were much less face valid than for data collected later. This result indicates that the way in which hearing-aid users assess outcome changes over time. The practical consequence of the results is that early self-report outcome assessment may be misleading for some self-report outcome schemes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Auditory Threshold
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Hearing Aids / psychology*
  • Hearing Loss / rehabilitation*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Satisfaction*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Speech Perception
  • Surveys and Questionnaires*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome