Acceptable noise level (ANL) with Danish and non-semantic speech materials in adult hearing-aid users.
OBJECTIVE
The acceptable noise level (ANL) test is used for quantification of the amount of background noise subjects accept when listening to speech. This study investigates Danish hearing-aid users' ANL performance using Danish and non-semantic speech signals, the repeatability of ANL, and the association between ANL and outcome of the international outcome inventory for hearing aids (IOI-HA).


METHODS
ANL was measured in three conditions in both ears at two test sessions. Subjects completed the IOI-HA and the ANL questionnaire.


METHODS
Sixty-three Danish hearing-aid users; fifty-seven subjects were full time users and 6 were part time/non users of hearing aids according to the ANL questionnaire.


RESULTS
ANLs were similar to results with American English speech material. The coefficient of repeatability (CR) was 6.5-8.8 dB. IOI-HA scores were not associated to ANL.


CONCLUSIONS
Danish and non-semantic ANL versions yield results similar to the American English version. The magnitude of the CR indicates that ANL with Danish and non-semantic speech materials is not suitable for prediction of individual patterns of future hearing-aid use or evaluation of individual benefit from hearing-aid features. The ANL with Danish and non-semantic speech materials is not related to IOI-HA outcome.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Research Laboratory, University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. steen.olsen@rh.regionh.dk
Steen Østergaard
SØ
Olsen
Johannes
J
Lantz
Lars Holme
LH
Nielsen
K Jonas
KJ
Brännström
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012660:Semantics; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013067:Speech Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires