ORIGINAL ARTICLE
INFLUENCE OF WORKING MEMORY AND SPEECH PERCEPTION ABILITY ON HEARING AID USE AND BENEFIT IN OLDER ADULTS
Manjula P 2, A,C-E
 
 
 
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1
Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, India
 
2
Professor of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, India
 
 
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article;
 
 
Submission date: 2020-06-25
 
 
Final revision date: 2020-09-11
 
 
Acceptance date: 2020-10-08
 
 
Publication date: 2020-12-31
 
 
Corresponding author
Vikas Mysore Dwarakanath   

Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, 570006, Mysuru, India
 
 
J Hear Sci 2020;10(4):27-32
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Hearing aids are equipped with many features to improve the speech perception abilities in quiet as well as in challenging situations. Despite that, older adults who use and benefit from hearing aids remain less satisfied. The present study focuses on aspects such as working memory, speech perception in noise (SNR-50), hearing aid usage, and its impact on perceived hearing aid benefit in older adults.

Material and methods:
Digit backward test and speech perception in noise test were administered on 34 older adults having mild to moderately-severe sensorineural hearing loss who were naïve users of hearing aids. The participants were divided into good and poor performers based on SNR-50. Two months later, the same tests were repeated along with administration of International Outcome Inventory - Hearing Aids (IOI-HA).

Results:
There was a significant difference in working memory and speech perception in noise with hearing aid outcome measures. It was also seen that individuals with better working memory and lower SNR-50 scores benefited more from a hearing aid. Cognition plays an important role in determining the amount of benefit derived from hearing aids in older adults.

Conclusions:
The present study highlights the importance of measuring working memory and speech perception abilities in older adults with hearing loss before fitting a hearing aid. These measures have a significant role in counselling about the realistic expectations of benefits from a hearing aid.

 
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