title: [Study of benefit and of acclimatization in recent users of hearing aids].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  benefit and acclimatization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to characterize the short-term benefits presented by adults, recent users of hearing aids, through objective (functional gain) and subjective (self-evaluation questionnaires) procedures. The possible occurrence of the phenomenon of acclimatization was also investigated based on the analysis of the speech recognition percent index (SRPI) before the fitting of the hearing aids and after four and 16/18 weeks of hearing aids use.
  
  
  METHODS
  sixteen subjects, with ages between 17 and 89 years, with symmetric moderate or severe sensorineural hearing loss, recent hearing aid users, were evaluated. The study was divided in three phases: before the hearing aids fitting, and after four and 16/18 weeks following the fitting process. In all of the phases the following procedures were used: pure tone audiometry, speech recognition percent index, speech recognition threshold and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly Screening Version or the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Adults Screening Version, and the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit. After the hearing aid fitting process, subjects were submitted to free field audiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  results showed statistically significant differences between objective and subjective measures after the use of hearing aids, indicating short-term benefit. However, as time went by, the benefit obtained with the use of hearing aids did not improve significantly, suggesting that benefit does not increase with time. SRPI as well as subjective measures improved with long-term hearing aid use, but such differences were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  short-term benefits were obtained with the use of hearing aids, however the phenomenon of acclimatization was not observed through the SRPI.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Veiga de Almeida. raquel.amorim@fead.br
authors.forename: Raquel Martins da Costa
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Amorim
authors.forename: Katia de
authors.initials: Kd
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000592:standards; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013067:Speech Perception; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors