Fit to targets, preferred listening levels, and self-reported outcomes for the DSL v5.0a hearing aid prescription for adults

Abstract

Abstract

Study objective: This study evaluated how closely the DSL v5.0a prescription could be approximated with hearing aids, its relationship to preferred listening levels (PLLs) of adults with acquired hearing loss, and the self-reported outcomes of the resulting fittings. Participants: Thirty adults with varying degrees and configurations of hearing loss ranging from mild to severe. Methods: Hearing aid output was measured after the initial fitting to DSL v5.0a targets and after determination of the PLL after approximately 90 days. The Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI) was used to evaluate outcome. Results: The 95% confidence interval of fits to target ranged from 5.8 to 8.4 dB across frequency. The DSL v5.0a adult algorithm approximated the PLLs of the participants within 2.6 dB on average. Hearing aid fittings provided positive subjective outcome improvements on the COSI. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the use of DSL v5.0a for the fitting of hearing aids on adults with acquired hearing loss was feasible and provided an appropriate initial fitting.

Sumario

Objetivo del estudio: Este estudio evaluó qué tanto puede satisfacer una prescripción DSL v5.0a con auxiliares auditivos, su relación con los niveles preferidos de escucha (PLLs) en adultos con pérdida auditiva adquirida y los resultados de los auto reportes de las adaptaciones resultantes. Participantes: Treinta adultos con variados grados y configuraciones de pérdidas auditivas, entre leves y severas. Métodos: Se midió la salida del auxiliar auditivo después de la adaptación por metas DSL v5.0a y después de determinar los PLL, al cumplirse aproximadamente 90 días. Para evaluar los resultados, se usó la Escala de Mejoría Orientada hacia el Cliente (COSI). Resultados: 95% de intervalo de confianza de adaptaciones relacionadas con blancos, entre 5.8 a 8.4 dB en todas las frecuencias. El algoritmo en adultos del DSL v5.0a se aproximó a los PLLs de los participantes en un promedio de 2.6 dB. Las adaptaciones de auxiliares auditivos dieron resultados subjetivos positivos con el COSI. Conclusiones: los hallazgos sugieren que el uso de DSL v5.0a para la adaptación de auxiliares auditivos en adultos con pérdidas auditivas adquiridas fue factible y permitió una adaptación inicial apropiada.

Key Words:

• Adults
• Hearing aids
• Hearing loss
• Treatment outcome
• Questionnaires
• Patient satisfaction
• Preferred Listening Level
• Prescriptions
• Desired Sensation Level

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by: The Ontario Graduate Scholarship and the Canada Research Chair program. A special thanks to Jacob Sulkers for his assistance in manuscript preparation. The contributions of Shane Moodie and Dave Pfingstgraef to the design of this study are gratefully acknowledged.

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. Several of the authors (Scollie, Seewald and Moodie) have developed the DSL Method and associated algorithms for the fitting of hearing aids for children and adults. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Notes

¹At the time of data collection, the real ear measurement system used did not employ reference microphone settings specifically for open fitting (i.e., a pure substitution calibration approach). Therefore, open fitted devices were excluded from this study because any real ear or simulated real ear measurements may have been affected by sound escaping through the vent, or by the simulated measure’s inability to represent vent-transmitted sound.

²Degrees of freedom adjusted for lack of sphericity using the Greenhouse-Geiser epsilon.