Comparison of Personal Sound Amplification Products to Professionally - Fitted Hearing Aids

Objectives: To our knowledge this study, conducted in 2007, was the first of its kind. The purpose was to compare a self-fitted personal sound amplification product (PSAP) with professionally-fitted hearing aids in terms of real-ear aided gain, audibility, and speech understanding in background noise. A second objective was to quantify subjects’ reactions to the PSAP used in this study. Design: The study sample was comprised of thirty-two adults self-referred for a hearing evaluation. All subjects were first-time hearing aid users. Subjects were provided with 1 or 2 PSAP devices based on the examining audiologist’s decision to provide unilateral or bilateral hearing aids. Each subject received a routine diagnostic hearing evaluation using standard clinical protocols. Aided gain, audibility and speech recognition in noise were measured with the PSAP device and the hearing aids. Subjects completed a questionnaire regarding their use of, and satisfaction with, the PSAP. Results: Average aided gain was not significantly different between the PSAP and the prescribed hearing aids. While significant differences between the 2 device types were noted at specific frequencies, the average audibility at 50 dB HL in the sound field was similar (70% for the prescribed aid, 68% for the PSAP, and 57% unaided). Speech recognition in background noise (QuickSIN) tested at 70 dB HL input was good with both devices: an average of 2.9 dB SNR for the hearing aids and 3.8 dB SNR for the PSAP. (Normal-hearing subjects typically require 2 dB SNR.) Slightly more than half of the subjects reported overall satisfaction with the PSAP and 34% reported they would be “very likely” to continue wearing the PSAP if they had not received hearing aids. The remaining subjects reported issues with fit and comfort with