Self Reported Hearing aid Outcome Measures using Disease Specific Questionnaire in Hearing Impaired Adults

Hearing impairment is one of the most frequent sensory deficits in human population, affecting more than 250 million people in the world. It affects the overall well being and cognition which results in depression and reduced quality of life (QOL).Hearing aids are used to rehabilitate these individuals and quantifying the results of a hearing aid fitting is often an overlooked aspect of the patient rehabilitation. Therefore self reported measures play a major role in assessing the outcomes in aural rehabilitation Objective: To assess the self reported hearing aid outcome using disease specific questionnaire, Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) in hearing impaired adults. Method: 15 subjects with age range of 18-60 years were participated in the study to compare the pre and post (two months) amplification changes with the hearing aid. The outcome of hearing aid fitting was evaluated using APHAB. Results: There were significant changes in hearing aid related aspects and its use. However, it is reported that more benefit with the hearing aid is seen when the device is worn at least for a period of one year. Conclusion: The use of self reported measures in routine clinical settings helps the clinician to select an appropriate amplification device and also provide a scientifically defensible way to measure the real-life success of the hearing aid fitting program and thereby improving their overall quality of life