Investigation on the influence of the use of individual sound amplification apparatus on the temporal resolution ability of a group of elderly people

Abstract

Introduction: The temporal resolution auditory ability is characterized by the perception of silence between sounds presented as a function of time. Older normal listeners and users of individual sound amplification apparatus (AASI) need longer time intervals than normal young listeners to realize the silence interval between sounds. Objective: To investigate the influence of the use of individual sound amplification equipment on the temporal resolution ability of a group of elderly individuals. Method: The sample consisted of 40 elderly patients with mild, moderate and severe bilateral neurosensory hearing loss who received their hearing aid pair through the hearing health program. The mini mental state examination (MMSE), the RGDT test and the International Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Individual Sound Amplification Apparatus (IQ-AASI) were applied. The data were collected with 15 and 90 days of use of the hearing aid. Results: Comparing the results of the RGDT test before and after the use of AASI, it was observed an improvement in the performance of the elderly. However, the variables: gender, age, cognitive performance and satisfaction of the use of HAI were not statistically significant for the improvement in the results of the RGDT test. Conclusion: The use of hearing aids in the elderly was efficient by itself in improving the performance of temporal resolution hearing ability