Journal article
Auditory Environments and Hearing Aid Feature Activation Among Younger and Older Listeners in an Urban and Rural Area
Ear and hearing, Vol.44(3), pp.603-618
05/2023
DOI: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001308
PMCID: PMC10101872
PMID: 36534639
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation between younger listeners with normal hearing and older listeners with hearing loss in an urban and rural location. We hypothesized that (1) urban dwellers and younger listeners would encounter more diverse and demanding auditory environments than rural dwellers and older listeners, respectively; (2) the advanced hearing aid features (noise reduction and directional microphone) of urban dwellers and younger listeners would be activated more frequently than rural dwellers and older listeners, respectively.
The design of this study was cross-sectional with repeated measures. A total of 12 older adults with hearing loss (OHL-U) and 11 younger adults with normal hearing (YNH-U) were recruited from an urban area (Berkeley, California) and 13 older adults with hearing loss (OHL-R) and 10 YNH-U were recruited from a rural area (Iowa City, Iowa). Participants wore hearing aids that recorded data about their listening environments and completed ecological momentary assessments for 1 week.
The YNH-U group experienced higher sound pressure levels and hearing aid features were activated more frequently than in the OHL groups. The OHL-R group experienced significantly less diverse sound pressure levels than the YNH-U group. The YNH-R group had sound levels between the YNH-U group and the OHL groups but without significant differences from any other group. The YNH groups showed a greater likelihood of hearing aid feature activation than the OHL-R group.
Demographics affect auditory environments and the activation of hearing aid features. Younger urban dwellers have the most diverse or demanding auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation, and older, rural dwellers with hearing loss have the least diverse or demanding auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation. Future studies of real-world auditory environments and audiology intervention effectiveness should consider location in recruitment and interpretation of results.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Auditory Environments and Hearing Aid Feature Activation Among Younger and Older Listeners in an Urban and Rural Area
- Creators
- Erik Jorgensen - University of Wisconsin–MadisonJingjing Xu - Starkey, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USAOctav Chipara - University of IowaJacob Oleson - University of IowaJason Galster - Starkey, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USAYu-Hsiang Wu - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Ear and hearing, Vol.44(3), pp.603-618
- DOI
- 10.1097/AUD.0000000000001308
- PMID
- 36534639
- PMCID
- PMC10101872
- NLM abbreviation
- Ear Hear
- ISSN
- 0196-0202
- eISSN
- 1538-4667
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 12/08/2022
- Date published
- 05/2023
- Academic Unit
- Communication Sciences and Disorders; Biostatistics; Computer Science
- Record Identifier
- 9984339358402771
Metrics
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