The "hearing aid effect" 2005: a rigorous test of the visibility of new hearing aid styles.
OBJECTIVE
The visibility of open ear (OE) styles of hearing instruments was rigorously investigated for their potential to reduce the stigma of wearing hearing aids.


METHODS
Three groups of 50 young adults (150 total) rated the visibility of 6 hearing aid styles-OE, invisible completely-in-the-canal (CIC), mini in-the-canal (m-ITC), half- and full-shell in-the-ear (ITE), and behind-the-ear (BTE)-worn by a peer model with revealing hairstyle, photographed from 2 ft and at 3 different angles (45 degrees, 90 degrees, and 135 degrees).


RESULTS
CIC was rated significantly most "invisible" at 45 degrees and 90 degrees, OE and m-ITC were next at those angles, and OE and BTE were least invisible at 135 degrees.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings have implications for counseling potential users who are reluctant to try hearing aids for cosmetic reasons.
Department of Communication Disorders, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849-5232, USA. johns19@auburn.edu
Carole E
CE
Johnson
Jeffrey L
JL
Danhauer
Reid B
RB
Gavin
Summer Raye
SR
Karns
Amber C
AC
Reith
Ilian Priscilla
IP
Lopez
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires