[Analysis of the characteristics of matching hearing aids in deaf children in Guangdong province].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the characteristics of matching hearing aids in different districts with various economic levels.


METHODS
The deaf children were divided into two groups: one group came from district with poor economic level, another came from district with flourishing economic level. The age of first matching hearing aids, sex proportion, degree of hearing loss and type of hearing aids (digital/simulation) were analyzed.


RESULTS
(1) The average age of first matching hearing aids was 3.82 years old; male: female = 1.47:1. No significant difference was observed between two different district. (2) The proportion of deaf children whose response threshold of wave V was above 90 dBnHL was 86.36% in district with flourishing economic level, whereas it was 93.85% in district with poor economic level. (5) The proportion of deaf children whose first hearing aids were digital was 75.57% in district with flourishing economic level. It was 65.38% in district with poor economic level.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant correlation is found between characteristics of matching hearing aids and economic level. The reason that the difference of sex proportion is enormous must be studied in further studies.
Luo
Renzhong
R
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Guangzhou Children's Hospital, Guangzhou, 510120, China. luorenzhong@21cn.com
Wen
Ruijin
R
Chen
Qian
Q
Lan
Ming
M
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000191:economics*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors