In-the-ear hearing aids. A comparative investigation of the use of custom-made versus modular type aids.
The present investigation was performed in order to evaluate and describe the benefit of a CITE-HA and compare its use with that of a modular type ITE-HA. Thirty-five patients at a median age of 70 (range 27-84) years, were fitted with CITE-HAs. As a reference group, we selected 37 patients at a median age of 74 (range 27-85) years, fitted with various types of modular in-the-ear-HAs. Based on an extensive questionnaire and an objective evaluation using insertion gain measurements and discrimination score in background noise, it was demonstrated that hearing disabled patients--even when elderly--benefit from in-the-ear-HAs; that the discrimination score measured with CITE-HAs was lower than that with the modular in-the-ear-HA; and that custom-made in-the-ear-HAs in general offer no major advantages when compared with the modular in-the-ear-HA types. In addition it was shown that the hearing aid amplification used by the majority of patients was considerably less than the amplification described by the POGO formula.
Department of Audiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Clasen
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Vesterager
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Parving
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003638:Deafness / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012931:Social Environment; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests