The Results of Speech Perception Improvement by Using Digital Hearing Aids

• Published in: AUDIOLOGY JAPAN Vol. 44; no. 2; pp. 101 - 106
• Main Authors: Kawano, Atsushi, Kato, Akio, Shimizu, Asako, Yonemoto, Kiyoshi, Fujigaki, Hitoshi, Takada, Shoji, Fujita, Kazuko, Utada, Akira, Yaji, Hiroki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Audiological Society 2001
• ISSN: 0303-8106; 1883-7301
• DOI: 10.4295/audiology.44.101

In 7 persons with deafness who use conventional hearing aids (analog or programmable type), digital hearing aids of 5 models (in the ear type or behind the ear type of Danalogic: 163D, Digitarian: HI-D2, Resound: ED5, Siemens: PRISMA, SENSO: C9) were used in each for two weeks. Speech perception ability and subjective evaluation were investigated, and effectiveness of the digital hearing aids was analyzed. All persons had evaluated the digital hearing aid not a few. When speech perception ability with the digital hearing aids was compared with that of conventional hearing aids, the average of 7 persons was 90.3% and 85.1% respectively without noise, 65.4% and 50.3% at S/N ratio +5dB under noise, 38.3% and 57.1% at 0dB, and 28.0% and 44.5 at -5dB. And there was the improvement of specch perception ability by the digital hearing aid. In conclusion, there was some improvement by the digital hearing aid in all cases under noise. The results of the average of speech perception ability using digital hearing aid were better than those using conventional hearing aids, and especially, it was clear that the speech perception ability showed the improvement under noise.