Hearing aid benefit in daily life : a qualitative ecological momentary assessment study
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Date
Authors
Fourie, Chane
Mahomed-Asmail, Faheema
Oosthuizen, Ilze
Manchaiah, Vinaya
Vercammen, Charlotte
Swanepoel, De Wet
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers Media
Abstract
INTRODUCTION : Understanding hearing aid wearer experiences in real-world settings is important to provide responsive and individualized hearing care. This study aimed to describe real-life benefits of hearing aids (HAs), as reported by hearing aid wearers through Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in various listening environments. METHOD : Qualitative content analysis of 1,209 open-text responses, provided through self-initiated EMAs, was conducted. The de-identified data was collected retrospectively via a smartphone app compatible with these HAs. Only text responses reflecting positive hearing aid experiences were analyzed.The 1,209 open-text responses were categorized into 18 pre-determined sub- categories, further organized into five overarching categories: Conversational, Leisure, Device-related aspects, Lifestyle, and Other factors. RESULTS : Across these categories, 48 self-generated meaning units highlighted the multifaceted benefits of HAs. In particular, participants reported significant improvements in conversational settings, specifically during phone conversations and meetings, attributed to improved sound quality and speech understanding when wearing their HAs. During leisure activities, particularly TV watching and music listening, clearer sound and ease of Bluetooth streaming contributed to experienced benefits. Lifestyle improvements were reported in occupational and social settings, as hearing aid wearers stated enhanced communication and sound awareness. Device-related factors contributing to positive wearer experiences included extended battery life and the convenience of rechargeable batteries. The most prominent sub-category, other factors, underscored overall satisfaction, comfort with the device, and improved auditory experiences across various environments. CONCLUSION : This study reveals the diverse benefits of HAs in improving communication, listening experiences, and quality of life across various settings, as captured through EMA. By emphasizing features like direct streaming and rechargeability, the findings highlight the importance of personalized hearing care and the potential of real-time listener feedback to inform device enhancements and support strategies, advancing more tailored and effective hearing rehabilitation.
Description
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The datasets presented in this article are not readily
available because of the mobile application’s data privacy
notice. Requests to access the datasets should be directed to
Charlotte.Vercammen@sonova.com.
Keywords
Hearing aids, Hearing aid outcome, Everyday situations, Real-life data, Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), SDG-03: Good health and well-being
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-being
Citation
Fourie, C., Mahomed-Asmail, F., Oosthuizen, I., Manchaiah, V., Vercammen, C. & Swanepoel, D.W. (2024) Hearing aid benefit in daily life: a qualitative ecological momentary assessment study. Frontiers in Audiology and Otology. 2:1397822.
DOI: 10.3389/fauot.2024.1397822.