Aided and unaided narrow band noise thresholds in listeners with sensorineural hearing impairment.
This study explored the relationship between narrow band noise thresholds obtained under aided and unaided conditions with normal listeners and with subjects demonstrating sensorineural hearing impairment. Pure-tone and narrow band noise thresholds obtained under earphone conditions were found to approximate each other within 3 dB. Mean noise thresholds obtained in sound field required less sound pressure than thresholds obtained under earphone conditions. In comparing the predicted aided noise thresholds with the observed thresholds, a 4-dB mean difference was found. The close relationship between hearing aid acoustic gain and changes in aided narrow band noise thresholds suggests the use of narrow band noise audiometry in hearing-aid selection when traditional measures cannot be used.
D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009622:Noise