NOISE INFLUENCE ON HEARING STATUS OF USERS OF HEARING AIDS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the cause and effect relationship of noise and hearing status users of hearing aids. It was assumed that increased continously and intensity of noise in urban areas has resulted in postponement of the assessment of hearing impairment in relation to age. Also, it was assumed that the inferior status hearing aid users of hearing aids in the city, compared to the auditory user status hearing aids from the suburbs. The sample (N = 60) consisted of the hearing impaired, which is assigned to a hearing aid. The sample was selected randomly and divided into two sub-samples, 30 patients from the city and 30 patients from the suburbs. The survey was administered questionnaire intensity noise levels and users of hearing aids. The processing of the collected data was used descriptive analysis, and testing the difference T - test and Mann Whitney U test, with the selected level of statistical significance 0.05. The results showed a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of users of hearing aids urban and suburban areas, in relation to the age of the respondents. The population of urban settlements are likely accustomed to communicate on a higher level of intensity socio-voice communication, and thus later in life notice hearing loss and later appears at diagnosis. Results hearing loss and hearing loss percentage by Fowler-Sabine-in, in clinical terms, they showed slight differences, with somewhat unfavorable hearing status urban, suburban relative to the population. Not confirmed the statistical significance of these differences, which are only partially can be argued that increasing the intensity of noise in urban areas has resulted in inferior status hearing aid users of hearing aids in this, in relation to the hearing aid user status from the suburbs.

Keywords

• noise
• hearing status
• hearing aid
• communication