Digital hearing aid (DHA) dispensation and major hurdles

Of 200 patients with perceptive hearing loss seen at our outpatient clinic for digital hearing aid (DHA) dispensation from October 2000 to May 2003, 95 agreed to take a course on DHA dispensation, 20 declined to undertake fitting for different reasons, and 10 patients stopped during fitting due to psychological and physical problems. DHAs were not indicated in 75 cases. Of the 95 taking the course, 67 suffered from binaural hearing loss and 40 agreed to wear DHAs binaurally (59.7%). The most frequently dispensed DHA was a complete-in-canal (CIC) type (42%). A behind-the-ear type was dispensed in 31% and a common canal type suffered in the remaining 27%. In aided ears, 47 and mild hearing loss, 72 moderate hearing loss, 11 severe or profound hearing loss. Using DHAs, significantly improved speech perception in speech presentation within 30 to 50dB in those with mild hearing loss, and within 40 to 60dB in those with moderate hearing loss. The mean functional gain was greatest at a frequency of 1-4kHz, compared to other frequencies. Individual counseling is vital to successfully dispensing DHAs.