title: Guidelines for the evaluation of hearing aid fitting (2010).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The methods to evaluate the efficacy of the adjusted hearing aid for a hearing-impaired person are fitting tests. The tests include those presently carried out for evaluating hearing aid fitting, and the methods of testing and evaluation have been published as "Guidelines for the evaluation of hearing aid fitting (2010)" by the Japan Audiological Society.
  
  
  METHODS
  Guidelines for the following 8 test methods are presented. (1) Measurements of speech performance-intensity functions and speech recognition scores; (2) Assessment of hearing aid fitting from the aspect of tolerance of environmental noise; (3) Measurement of real-ear insertion gain (measurement of sound pressure levels at the eardrum); (4) Measurement of the hearing threshold level and the uncomfortable loudness level (UCL) in sound pressure level (SPL) with an inserted earphone; (5) Aided threshold test in a sound field (functional gain measurement); (6) Prediction of insertion gain and aided threshold from hearing aid characteristics and the pure tone audiogram; (7) Measurement of speech recognition in noise; (8) Assessment of hearing aid fitting using questionnaires. In the above tests, (1) and (2) are mandatory tests, and (3) to (8) are informative tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By performing test combinations properly selected from the above 8 tests, the benefits of a hearing aid could be determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The above test methods were useful and valuable in determining the efficacy of the adjusted hearing aid for a hearing-impaired person during clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuoki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kodera
authors.affiliation: President's Office, Nara Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hosoi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Makito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.affiliation: Manabe Clinic, Takamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manabe
authors.affiliation: Kanda E·N·T Clinic, Nagasaki Bell Hearing Center, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanda
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Design Science, Faculty of Design, Kyushu University, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.affiliation: Sugiuchi Clinic, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Kitasato University School of Allied Health Sciences, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Rinsho Keishin Clinic, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hikaru
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tauchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Japan. Electronic address: t-nishim@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and Disorders, Kyoto Gakuen University, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshimasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuhira
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital, National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities, Japan.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
mesh_terms: D001298:Audiology; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D009622:Noise; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000592:standards*; D012958:Societies, Scientific; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test
keywords: Clinical practice; Efficacy; Guideline; Hearing aid fitting