title: Hearing aid use with minimal high-frequency hearing loss.
abstract: This study evaluated the use of hearing aids by patients with hearing threshold levels of 20 dB or less at 500 and 1000 Hz and 35 dB or less at 2000 Hz. Ninety-eight patients completed a 30-day trial with amplification. Six months later, patients were interviewed by telephone and questioned on hearing aid use and perceived unaided and aided difficulty in various listening environments. Results of the study demonstrated that patients with minimal high-frequency hearing loss can benefit from the use of hearing aids. Ninety-two percent of the patients elected to purchase the hearing aids and 85% considered the aids a worthwhile investment after 6 months of use. Patients showed a mean improvement from moderate unaided to slight aided difficulty at work and in general social situations. The only variable that predicted success with hearing aids was degree of unaided difficulty at work. Patients who perceived less unaided difficulty at work were less likely to obtain benefit from the use of the hearing aids.
authors.affiliation: Otologic Medical Group, Inc., Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans