Research of the loudness growth function in a population of hearing and hearing impai

Abstract

Considering the fact that the non-linearity of the damaged hearing system requires more attention in the work with amplification, the present study was developed at PUCSP-DERDIC with the objectives of: a) researching into the loudness growth function in a population of hearing and hearing impaired individuals; b) verifying which amplification characteristics should be present in the hearing aid fitting process for those patients. Forty patients were evaluated (twenty hearing individuals and twenty hearing impaired with bilateral severe to profound sensorioneural hearing loss) through the test “Contour”. The results showed that the loudness growth function represents an important contribution for the hearing aid fitting process of hearing impaired patients.