Hearing-aid counseling: Comparison of single-session informational counseling with single-session performance-perceptual counseling

Abstract

Objective: Hearing-aid counseling can improve outcome but programs are often too resource-intensive to be clinically practical. Here we examined the effectiveness of single-session informational counseling with single-session performance-perceptual counseling. Design: Two forms of counseling were compared: informational counseling (IC) and performance-perceptual counseling (PPC). IC focused on discussing communication strategies and tips for hearing-aid use. PPC addressed the discrepancy between measured and perceived ability to understand speech. Outcomes were measured eight-to-ten weeks post-counseling using quantitative and qualitative measures: Hearing handicap inventory, abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit, psychosocial impact of assistive devices scale (PIADS), international outcome inventory for hearing aids, and a semi-structured exit interview. Study sample: Seventy-four hearing aid-users with symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss participated. Results: Scores on the hearing questionnaires showed no change following either form of counseling. Scores on the PIADS improved for participants as a whole, and the semi-structured interview revealed increased hearing-aid use, better understanding and acceptance of hearing loss, increased use of communication strategies, and improved ability to explain hearing difficulties to others. Conclusions: A single session of hearing-aid counseling can improve hearing-aid use and satisfaction. Open-ended interview and/or quality of life measures are more sensitive to these benefits than hearing questionnaires.

Key Words::

• Hearing aids
• rehabilitation of hearing impaired
• counseling

Acknowledgements

The research reported here was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration, Rehabilitation Research and Development Grant # C3951R and the National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, Oregon. We thank Mark Caldwell and ShienPei Silverman for their participation with data collection and administrative support. Data from this work have been presented at the 2008 International Hearing Aid Research Conference (IHCON), Lake Tahoe, USA August 13–15, 2008; and at the 5th International Adult Aural Rehabilitation Conference, Tampa Florida, USA, March 16–19, 2009.

Declaration of interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Appendix 1: Exit interview

Questions to all participants

Thinking about your hearing over the last ten weeks (time since you last came here):

• Has your hearing changed? Got better/Stayed the same/Got worse

• Has your ability to hear with your hearing aids changed? Got better/Stayed the same/Got worse

• Have you had your hearing aids reprogrammed or repaired? Yes/No

  Why was this done?

Thinking about what we told you at the first study visit:

• What do you recall of what we told you on that visit?

• Based on what you learned do you feel any differently about your hearing loss? Yes/No

  Why?

• Do you feel differently towards your hearing aids? Yes/No

  In what way?

• Have you been wearing your hearing aids any more or less than usual? Much less/A little less/About the same/A little more/A lot more

  Why?

• Do you think you will continue to wear your hearing aids more/less? Yes/No

  Why?

• Did you try to apply any of the suggestions we gave you last time? Yes/No

  What?

• Did it seem to make a difference? Yes/No

  In what way?

• Do you think anyone else noticed a difference? Yes/No

  What did they notice?

• Have your overall perceptions about your hearing ability changed? YesNo

  In what way?

• Is there anything else you would have liked us to tell you about?

  Do you have any other comments about your participation in the study?

Questions to PPC group only

Thinking about what we told you about under/overestimating your hearing:

• Do you think our interpretation of your scores was correct? Yes/No

• Did you find yourself under/over-estimating your ability? Yes/No

Question to IC group only

Thinking about what we told you about your hearing:

• Do you think our interpretation of your scores matches your experiences? Yes/No