Differences in speech discrimination in the elderly as a function of type of competing noise: speech-babble or cafeteria.
Speech discrimination of place-loaded Modified Rhyme test words in speech-babble and cafeteria noise by elderly hearing-impaired subjects was measured. The stimuli were presented under the following conditions: (1) monotic: the signal was presented to the preferred ear; (2) low-frequency attenuated: the frequency band below 1,000 Hz was attenuated by 5, 10, and 15 dB relative to the high-frequency band; (3) dichotic: the frequency band above 1,000 Hz was presented to the preferred ear and the low-frequency band to the other ear; (4) diotic: the same signal was presented to both ears. Difference scores between the monotic baseline condition and the other listening modes were calculated and compared. Relationships between listening modes differed as a function of type of competing noise. Low-frequency attenuation improved discrimination in speech-babble but not in cafeteria noise. Dichotic-monotic and diotic-monotic superiority were seen with both noises.
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000669:Amplifiers, Electronic; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests; D013067:Speech Perception