Narratives of identity: understanding the experiences of adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids

Figures & data

Table 1. Participant demographic and hearing aid use data.

Participant	Age	Gender	Ethnicity	Age at HL Diagnosis	PTA3 (dB HL)	Hearing Device(s)	HA Use
Lily, #1	67	F	not Hispanic or Latino	–	26.6	Siemens Carat 5bx	…about half…
Estelle, #2	83	F	not Hispanic or Latino	56	56.6	Oticon Ino Pro Mini BTE	during all…
Jasper, #3	67	M	not Hispanic or Latino	43	33.3	Phonak Audéo Q50	during most…
Leslie, #4	20	F	not Hispanic or Latino	2	36.6	Starkey Z Series RIC i110	during most…
Abigail, #5	67	F	not Hispanic or Latino	41	50	Signia Pure 5px	during all…
Wendy, #6	70	F	not Hispanic or Latino	–	25	Resound Linx^2 9	during most…
Tiffany, #7	55	F	not Hispanic or Latino	41	38.3	Resound Linx^2 9	sometimes…
Hannah, #8	72	F	not Hispanic or Latino	62	21.6	Signia Pure 5bx	during most…
Jill, #9	73	F	not Hispanic or Latino	69	26.6	Signia Pure 5px	during all…
Alex, #10	67	F	not Hispanic or Latino	62	33.3	Siemens Cellion Pure RIC	during most…
John, #11	65	M	not Hispanic or Latino	28	30	Siemens Carat7bx + EasyTek	during most…
Bill, #12	72	M	not Hispanic or Latino	58	51.6	Oticon Nera Pro mini BTE	during all…
Beth, #13	22	F	not Hispanic or Latino	birth	60	Siemens Carat 5bx	during all…
Janice, #14	70	F	not Hispanic or Latino	5	60	Bernafon Chinos 7 CP	during all…
Brad, #15	72	M	not Hispanic or Latino	51	–	–	during all…
Fred, #16	70	M	not Hispanic or Latino	59	18.3	Resound Dot 20 RIC	during most…
George, #17	72	M	not Hispanic or Latino	68	23.3	Phonak Audéo B70-R	sometimes…
Dennis, #18	90	M	not Hispanic or Latino	78	–	Micro-tech Triumph W20	during all…
Monica, #19	25	F	not Hispanic or Latino	2	60	Siemens Carat 7bx	during all…
Tom, #20	55	M	not Hispanic or Latino	45	31.6	Siemens Pure 301	during all…
Roger, #21	88	M	not Hispanic or Latino	59	68.3	Phonak Naida V70-SP	during all…
Jane, #22	70	F	not Hispanic or Latino	56	48.3	Oticon Ria Pro MiniRITE	during all…
Bailey, #23	33	F	not Hispanic or Latino	5	35	Phonak Audéo S Smart III (AS)	during all…
Emily, #24	49	F	not Hispanic or Latino	4	48.3	Phonak Audéo Q70 BTE	during all…
Phil, #25	54	M	not Hispanic or Latino	13	35	Oticon Nera Pro Mini BTE	during all…
Phoebe, #26	40	F	Hispanic or Latino	birth	72.5 (NR at 2k)	Phonak Bolero B90-PR & Cochlear Nucleus 5 Processor	during all…
Amy, #27	72	F	not Hispanic or Latino	53	58.3	Starkey S Series 7	during most…
Thelma, #28	66	F	not Hispanic or Latino	–	11.6	Phonak Audéo B70 Direct	…about half…
Sue, #29	77	F	not Hispanic or Latino	70	36.6	Starkey Z Series i100 RIC	during all…
Pam, #30	58	F	not Hispanic or Latino	22	46.6	Oticon Ino Pro miniRITE	during most…

Participant: participant’s pseudonym and interview number for the present study; ages are reported in years; F: female; M: male; PTA₃: pure-tone average of 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, and 2000 Hz for better ear; HA use: hearing aid usage as reported by the participant via the initial demographic survey (i.e. during all waking hours, during most waking hours, during about half of my waking hours, sometimes during waking hours, never during waking hours); –: data unavailable; participant Brad, #15 could not recall the name or practice of his audiologist.

Table 2. Reoccurring narrative themes and the corresponding identities.

Reoccurring narrative themes	Corresponding identities
Amazed, internally-driven	The satisfied user
Personal growth, positive doctor-patient relationship, advocate, self-conscious	The overcomer
Rational, recognises benefit, realistic	The dispassionate user
Fed-up	The resigned user
Disappointed, isolated	The griever

Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, BAB. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.