title: Satisfaction with Hearing Aids Based on Technology and Style among Hearing Impaired Persons.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hearing loss is one of the most disabling impairments. Using a hearing aid as an attempt to improve the hearing problem can positively affect the quality of life for these people. This research was aimed to assess satisfaction of hearing impaired patients with their hearing aids regarding the employed technology and style.
  
  
  METHODS
  This descriptive-analytic cross-sectional research was conducted on 187 subjects with hearing loss who were using a hearing aid. The subjects were over 18 years of age and were using a hearing aid for at least 6 months. The Persian version of Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire was the instrument which was used for assessing satisfaction with the hearing aid. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to be 0.80 for instrument reliability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference was observed among satisfaction subscales' mean scores with hearing aid technology. Also a significant difference was observed between the total satisfaction score and the hearing aid model. With respect to the analysis of satisfaction with the hearing aid and its style, cost and services was the only subscale which showed a significant difference (P=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respondents using hearing aids with different technology and style were estimated to be quite satisfied. Training audiologists in using more appropriate and fitting hearing aids in addition to using self-reporting questionnaires like SADL for estimating patients' social condition and participation in their life can essentially change their disability condition and countervail their hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Administration , School of Health , Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Farzad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faraji-Khiavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Administration, Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Centre, School of Rehabilitation, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Rezvan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dashti
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation. IUMS Lecturer, Iran Medical Sciences University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyed-Jalal
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sameni
authors.affiliation: Hearing and Speech Research Center, School of Rehabilitation, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayat
keywords: Hearing aid; Hearing impaired persons; Hearing loss; Satisfaction