Auditory satisfaction of patients fitted with hearing aids in the Brazilian Public Health Service and benefits offered by the hearing aids

The performance of patients fitted with hearing aids dictates the applicable measures to be taken. OBJECTIVE: To assess the benefits and degree of satisfaction of adult and elderly patients fitted with hearing aids in a service accredited by the Brazilian Public Health Service. METHOD: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 34 individuals with bilateral hearing loss aged 18 and above who had never been offered hearing aids. Scales “Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults” and “Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version” were used to assess the benefits yielded by the hearing aids. Scale “Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life” was used to gauge patient satisfaction. The first two were applied on the day the patients were fitted with hearing aids and one month later, whereas the third was applied only one month after the patients had been fitted with the hearing aids. RESULTS: After the subjects were offered hearing aids, significant reductions were seen in the difficulties they experienced as a consequence of hearing loss. The scores in the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life scale indicated a high degree of satisfaction among patients. These results were not statistically different when gender and age (adult/elderly) subgroups were compared. CONCLUSION: The subjects included in the study have benefitted from being fitted with hearing aids and have been very happy with the outcome of the treatment.