Quality of life in elderly adults before and after hearing aid fitting

Presbycusis is a common disorder in the elderly, which causes hearing loss and may contribute to the development of some psychiatric disorders, leading to isolation clue to communication difficulties in the social environment. Objective: To identify through the WHOQOL (World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire), the quality of life of hearing impaired individuals before and after hearing aid fittings. Method: We had 30 individuals with hearing loss, all over 60 years of age - patients from a Speech Therapy Clinic. The patients answered the WHOQOL questions without the use of hearing aids; and after the effective use of a sound amplification device for a period of three months they answered it again. The WHOQOL - Bref consists of 26 questions, two general quality-of-life questions and 24 associated with four aspects: physical, psychological, environmental and social relations. Results: There was a significant improvement in quality of life in general, as far as leisure activities were concerned, there were no major changes regarding the frequency of negative feelings; even after the hearing aid fitting, the patients continue to have such feelings. Conclusion: The use of hearing aids favored the overall quality of life of the individuals evaluated.

Degree of satisfaction among hearing aid users

Introduction: Hearing loss (HL) is defined as the complete or partial loss of hearing ability. Aims: To characterize (1) the degree of satisfaction among adult and elderly hearing aid (HA) users who were treated by a public hearing health service and (2) the relationship between satisfaction and the variables of gender, age, degree of HL, and type of HA. Method: The clinical and experimental study included the administration of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire to 110 patients who had used HAs for more than 3 months and were 18 years of age or older. Results: Test patients were sex-balanced (48% were women) and had a mean age of 67 years. A relatively high incidence of sensorineural moderate HL was detected in the study patients (66%) and device B was the most commonly used HA type (48%). No significant differences were evident between HA satisfaction and sex. The importance placed on services/costs and personal image varied between age groups. Correlation was evident at all levels between user satisfaction and amplification. Decreased satisfaction was observed in individuals with severe and/or profound HL. The type of HA used yielded statistically significant differences in the positive effects referring. Conclusion: No correlations were evident between the different factors proposed. HA users exhibited high levels of satisfaction in all SADL areas

Stethoscopes with hearing aid use: case studies

Introduction: Description for using stethoscopes adapted to hearing aids. Aim: To describe the adaptation of HAs to stethoscopes used by 2 students in the health field with bilateral hearing impairment. Case reports: Two subjects with hearing loss had their stethoscopes coupled to HAs because of the individual requirements of their professions (healthcare) to perform auscultation. Conclusion: The improvement was measured in situ, and satisfaction was evaluated using a subjective questionnaire. The use of a stethoscope coupled to an HA allowed students with hearing loss to perform auscultation.

BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) indicações, resultados funcionais e comparação com cirurgia reconstrutiva de orelha

INTRODUÇÃO: O BAHA (Bone Ancored Hearing Aid) é um dispositivo auditivo de condução óssea que propaga o som diretamente à orelha interna, utilizado principalmente em pacientes com perda auditiva condutiva associada a atresia aural, mas atualmente também em perdas mistas e neurossensoriais. OBJETIVO: Revisar as principais indicações do BAHA, analisar os resultados audiométricos e os benefícios proporcionados aos pacientes, e compará-los com outras modalidades de tratamento além de comparar os dados da literatura com nossa casuística de 13 pacientes. MÉTODO: A pesquisa foi realizada em bases de dados abrangendo trabalhos em inglês, espanhol e português, sem limites de intervalos de anos, comparando com os resultados dos nossos 13 pacientes submetidos a esse procedimento, no período de 2000 a 2009. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos trabalhos mostrou vantagens do BAHA em comparação à cirurgia reconstrutiva, tanto pelos resultados audiológicos quanto em relação a complicações e recidiva. Os resultados pós-operatórios nos 13 pacientes operados por nossa equipe foi satisfatório e compatível com os da literatura, com fechamento do gap aéreo-ósseo em 7 pacientes e gap aéreo-ósseo de até 10 dB em 6 pacientes. Não houve complicações pós-operatórias. CONCLUSÃO: O BAHA é uma ótima opção de tratamento para pacientes com surdez condutiva bilateral, fato demonstrado pelos bons resultados audiológicos e por se tratar de um procedimento cirúrgico relativamente simples e com baixa taxa de complicações. Os estudos mais recentes vêm abordando seu uso para surdez condutiva e neurossensorial unilateral.