Profile of Listening Needs of Individuals with Hearing Loss

Abstract

Aim: The study focuses on development of questionnaire to measure listening needs of individuals with hearing impairment in the Indian context. The questionnaire evaluates the hearing problems under five domains: detection, speech in quiet, speech in noise, noise tolerance and others (localization, music perception and telephone perception). It also evaluates the listeners’ expectations from hearing aids. Method: The questionnaire is framed under three sections-listening needs, order of significance/importance and expectations. The 22 items in the questionnaire were chosen based on literature survey, information from listeners with hearing impairment, knowledge and experience of audiologists. Listening needs and expectations data were obtained from 30 adults and 30 older adults with hearing impairment. The questionnaire was administered on 30 individuals, having hearing sensitivity within normal limits, for standardization and checking specificity and sensitivity. Results: The results showed higher scores for adults and older adults with hearing impairment compared to those with normal hearing indicating the need for hearing aids among listeners with hearing impairment. The participants rated ‘speech in noise’ as the most significant domain of listening. The expectations results revealed most assistance from hearing aids is required for understanding speech in noisy situations. Conclusions: The listening needs questionnaire is an important clinical tool to elicit patient’s listening needs in order to know the need for a hearing aid. It is beneficial for custom pre-selection of hearing aids and fine tuning/ optimizing digital hearing aids. It is helpful in counselling about the extent of fulfilment from hearing aids and the possible hearing aid benefit based on the type and degree of their hearing loss.