Evaluation of hearing aid fitting using the guideline for hearing aid fitting tests (2010)

Hearing aid fitting adaptation was assessed by using the speech audiogram, word recognition score, subjective tests for environmental noise, and the questionnaire test for hearing ability according to the guideline for hearing aid fitting tests (2010) in 23 ears of 21 patients who visited our department. The rate of hearing aid adaptation was 95.7% (22/23 ears) as assessed by the speech audiogram, 82.6% (19/23 ears) as assessed by the word recognition score, 87.0% (20/23 ears) as assessed by the subjective tests for environmental noise, and 66.7% (14/21 patients) as assessed by the questionnaire test for hearing ability. Poor improvement in word recognition in adverse conditions tended to be recognized in seven patients who showed inadequate adaptation according to the questionnaire test for hearing ability. The rates of hearing aid adaptation in the overall assessment of the required items was 69.6% (16/23 ears), but it decreased to 47.8% (11/23 ears) when the assessment by the questionnaire test for hearing ability was added. In the present study, the assessment results did not necessarily conform among the test items. Identification of which items should be selected from the reference items in the guideline for hearing aid fitting tests (2010) is an issue that must be addressed in the future.