Perceived hearing handicap of patients with unilateral or mild hearing loss.

Using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA), we assessed self-perceived hearing handicap in a sample of 63 patients having either unilaterally normal hearing or a mild hearing loss (pure tone average < or = 40 dB hearing level). Large intersubject variability in responses to the HHIA confirmed observations that reactions to minimal hearing impairment vary greatly among patients. The individual differences in responses highlight the importance of quantifying the perceived communication and psychosocial handicap, which cannot be determined from the audiogram alone. An item examination of responses to the HHIA revealed a number of emotional and social-situational problems encountered by patients with minimal hearing loss.

The influence of hearing aid cost on perceived benefit in older adults.

Self-report hearing handicap scales are gaining widespread acceptance among clinicians as a technique for quantifying hearing aid benefit. Both auditory and nonauditory (e.g., personality, health, motivation) factors contribute to an individual's response to hearing loss and ultimately to perceived hearing aid benefit. Among the recognized extra-audiological variables, financial concerns may influence a hearing aid user's expectations regarding hearing aid benefit. The present study compared self-perceived benefit in 26 insured and 26 uninsured new hearing aid wearers using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE). HHIE scores at 3 weeks and 6 mo postfitting were equivalent between groups. The findings suggest that the HHIE may be used as an index of hearing aid benefit without concern that the source of funds required to purchase amplification may act as an uncontrolled variable.

Test-retest reliability of the hearing handicap inventory for adults.

The test-retest reliability of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA) was assessed on a sample of 28 hearing-impaired adults. Reliability estimates were obtained to set the stage for using the HHIA as an outcome measure in aural rehabilitation. The test-retest reliability was quite high (r = 0.97) and the standard error of measurement was low for the HHIA and its screening version (HHIA-S). In light of the psychometric adequacy, the HHIA and HHIA-S have potential as indices of hearing aid benefit in hearing-impaired adults.

Practical method for quantifying hearing aid benefit in older adults.

Self-assessment handicap scales are gaining recognition as objective measures of audiologic intervention, including benefit derived from hearing aid use. A short form of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE-S) comprised of 10 items (5 emotional and 5 social/situational) was administered to 91 new hearing aid users prior to and 3 weeks following hearing aid provision. A significant reduction in perceived emotional and social/situational effects of hearing impairment was observed following this brief interval of hearing aid use. The magnitude of hearing aid benefit was not affected by pure-tone sensitivity or word recognition ability. Further, a 95 percent confidence interval was established for the HHIE-S (9.3 points) in order to determine a true change in self-perceived handicap and pre- and post-hearing aid fitting for a given subject. Our findings support the use of the HHIE-S as an expedient approach for quantifying hearing aid benefit in a busy clinical practice.

The Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults: psychometric adequacy and audiometric correlates.

The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) was modified for use with younger hearing-impaired adults (less than 65 years of age). Similar to the HHIE, the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA), is a 25-item self-assessment scale composed of two subscales (emotional and social/situational). Replacement questions from the HHIE which form the HHIA focus on the occupational effects of hearing loss. For 67 hearing-impaired adults, the HHIA demonstrated high internal consistency reliability and a low standard error of measurement. Audiometric correlates of the HHIA revealed weak, yet statistically significant relationships with pure-tone sensitivity and supra-threshold word recognition ability. These findings support the use of self-report handicap measures with adults in that audiometric measures alone are insufficient in describing a patient's reaction to their hearing loss.