Intermediate hearing tests as predictors of hearing aid acceptance.
This prospective study analyses the ability of several different intermediate hearing screening techniques to predict hearing aid acceptance in a pre-retirement population. In addition to the traditional methods of using sensitivity and specificity to analyse test performance, signal detection theory has been used to obtain a single detectability rate for each test. Questionnaires were able to identify individuals with hearing difficulties but included a significant group of people who ultimately would not accept a hearing aid. This group could be eliminated either clinically using free field speech testing, or audiometrically using warble tone thresholds, without the need for formal pure tone audiometry.
Davies
J E
JE
Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK.
John
D G
DG
Stephens
S D
SD
D000368:Aged; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000523:psychology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care