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Factors Affecting Hearing Aid Satisfaction in a Singapore Population

Presenting Author: Eu Chin Ho

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2016

Eu Chin Ho
Eu Chin Ho*
Affiliation:
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
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Abstract

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Learning Objectives: Hearing aids greatly improves the quality of life in patients with hearing loss. Elderly patients with severe hearing loss and those who are fitted with bilateral Hearing aids benefited the most from their usage.

Introduction: This study analyzes factors that affect severity of hearing loss (HL) at presentation and hearing aid usage pattern among the Singapore hearing aid users.

Methods: Retrospective study with 643 subjects identified from audiometric records. Demographics (age, gender, race), Pure Tone Audiometry average (PTA0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz), HA laterality (unilateral, bilateral), HA type and daily usage duration (<4hours, 4–7hours, >7hours) were collected. Severity of HL was classified as mild HL (21–40db), moderate (41–70db), severe HL(>71db).

Results: Patients had a mean age of 73.1 years (range: 22–113 years old). Patients presenting with mild HL were significantly younger than those with moderate-severe HL (64.1years vs 73.5years, p<0.001). There were 327 males and 316 females, and gender did not influence severity of HL at presentation.

Race proportion was Chinese 87.9%, Malay 4.2%, Indian 5.8%, others 2.2%. Less Malay patients sought help for HL compared to the natioanl racial composition.

Amongst the Malay patients, 48.1% of them had severe HL, which was the highest proportion within an ethnic group compared to 26.7% of Chinese 26.7%, 37.8% of Indian and 7.1% of other races; p=0.001. This suggested that Malay patients usually presented late for their hearing problems. Mean age of Malay patients is younger than that of non-Malay patients (70.3years vs 73.2years, p=0.235).

Lastly the more severe the HL, the longer the duration of daily HA usage. Most (45.8%) of the patients with severe HL use HA for more than 7 hours daily (vs. 25.3% for 4–7hrs, 22.5% for <4hrs, p = 0.016). Unilateral HA was more popular than bilateral HA in all degree of HL.

Conclusion: Younger patients presented with milder degree of hearing loss. Though less Malay patients sought treatment for HL, they mostly presented with greater hearing loss severity at a younger age. Severity of hearing loss led to longer daily usage of HA.