Research into motivation for compensating hearing defect

Summary

Introduction:
Partial hearing loss belongs to the most frequent symptoms the patients visit doctors. The frequency in the population is on the increase with age. Unfavorable genetic predisposition, noise exposure or other negative factors accelerate and intensify auditory functions. At a higher age the hearing loss presbycusis is also accompanied by decreasing ability to process the acoustic information in the auditory centers (cortex).

The authors investigated, whether people are aware of their auditory handicap, quality of their hearing and what kind of auditory defect they have as well as an awareness of inconvenience in the everyday life. The most frequent reasons for acquiring hearing aid and satisfaction with it were also investigated as well as limitations in using the hearing air and what kinds of limitations originate if they do not use it.

Methods:
The investigation was made during October 2011 through March 2012 is a specialized outpatients’ of the Center for Hearing and Balance Disorders in Ostrava-Poruba ad in the Hélios Senior Home in Havířov. The anonymous non-standardized questionnaire survey was used. The questionnaire included 36 questions. Descriptive statistics was used data processing.

Results:
Eighty individuals were addressed and 75 persons participated in the survey, 59 women and 16 men at the age of 43 to 97 years. A generally deteriorated hearing was felt by 92% of persons up to 80 years of age and 97% of those over 80 years. Tone audiometry was performed in 83% of respondents and only 52% of the subjects undergo regular control examinations by ear specialists. An inborn defect occurred in 4% f the respondents and most subjects reported that the defect developed with increasing age, as a result of disease or noise exposure. The haring aid is used by 51% respondents only with average age of 63 years. The most frequent reasons for not using the device was a feeling that the hearing is still sufficient or their age is too old and therefore the use of hearing aid is not necessary, but also high financial cost. The most frequent reason for acquiring the hearing aid in these individuals was decision of their own. Seventy percent of the persons acquired the hearting aid, because were bothered by the fact of insufficient hearing, 10% of the respondent were forced to buy it by their family. In the respondents who own the hearing aid, 74%^ individuals use it daily. A unilateral correction is used by 89% of the respondents and only 11% use bilateral correction. Sixty three percent of the individuals felt that the hearing air give some restraint to them, which 18% consider unceasing and 45% occasional. They feel constrained in social activities, in sports or in noise environment. Individuals who use the hearing aid consider more favorably communication with the family, other people, and a better comprehension even in the noisy environment. Four percent of those who do not want to use hearing air reported that they hear everything. Only 15% of respondents who do not want the hearing air reported no problems in communicating with the family and friends, Seven % of respondents who do not want the hearing air do not have problems in communication with strange people and 4% of respondents answered that they do not encounter problems in a noisy environment. Ninety percent of respondents felt that their hearing is deteriorating, 71% consider their hearing loss as a handicap, which 33% of them consider serious, 23% medium and 15% trivial. Only 5% of the respondents reported that their hearing does not represent a handicap.

Conclusion:
Most respondents acquired their hearing in the course of life, most often due to physiological ageing or as a result of disease of effect of noise. People who acquired the hearing aid feel that the correction helps, use it daily and their communication abilities associated with hearing are very much better due to the hearing aid. Those who need the hearing aid but do not want it are forced to try much more to understand what the other people say. Individuals who are not satisfied with their hearing and experience communication problems should visit a specialist and, in indicated cases accept the use of hearing aid because it makes a better communication possible and improves thereby improves quality of their lives. Some people experiencing the hearing handicap can make this conclusion by themselves, but there are still many of those who need help. It is important to improve the general understanding of the public about sound, noise and hearing and to change general opinions about this sign and to dispel the myths about hearing aid devices. This could help to establish conditions, when increasing numbers of people with hearing loss will incline to compensate their hearing handicap by a hearing aid and live a normal active life together with others.

Keywords:
hearing defect – hearing loss – compensation – hearing aid – presbycusis