Karine Thaís Becker

Satisfação de usuários de próteses auditivas, com perda auditiva de graus severo e profundo

To analyze the satisfaction of adults and elders, users of hearing aids with hearing loss of severe and deep degree, using a questionnaire and searching factors that can difficult the adaptation. Method: A retrospective study of 56 patients, with age group between 18 and 86 years old, hearing loss of severe and deep degree and users of HA by a program of concession of hearing aids, submitted to the questionnaire: “Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life”. The global average was calculated by sub scale and by question and it was given emphasis to the questions that resulted in best and worse averages. Results: 58,9% were women and 41,1% men, about of 55% of the patients presented hearing loss of severe degree and 45% deep degree. 87,5% referred use major than 8 hours daily. The users believe that the acquisition of the hearing aid was the best option and this aid very much in the speech understanding. They feel themselves trustful and able with the sounding amplification and refer a good service by professionals of the service. The performance to the telephone was the problem found. Conclusion: It was demonstrated high degree of satisfaction in the studied population. The hearing loss degree, as well as the incompatibility of systems between telephone and telecoils and the difficulty in the placement of telephone ate factors that difficult the good performance to the telephone. The accentuated hearing loss collaborate for the hearing aid be an integral part of the daily life and essential in the aid to the communication. ACTRN12610000424000

Reconhecimento de fala de indivíduos normo-ouvintes com zumbido e hiperacusia

INTRODUCTION: Tinnitus and hyperacusis are increasingly frequent audiological symptoms that may occur in the absence of the hearing involvement, but it does not offer a lower impact or bothering to the affected individuals. The Medial Olivocochlear System helps in the speech recognition in noise and may be connected to the presence of tinnitus and hyperacusis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the speech recognition of normal-hearing individual with and without complaints of tinnitus and hyperacusis, and to compare their results. METHOD: Descriptive, prospective and cross-study in which 19 normal-hearing individuals were evaluated with complaint of tinnitus and hyperacusis of the Study Group (SG), and 23 normal-hearing individuals without audiological complaints of the Control Group (CG). The individuals of both groups were submitted to the test List of Sentences in Portuguese, prepared by Costa (1998) to determine the Sentences Recognition Threshold in Silence (LRSS) and the signal to noise ratio (S/N). The SG also answered the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory for tinnitus analysis, and to characterize hyperacusis the discomfort thresholds were set. RESULTS: The CG and SG presented with average LRSS and S/N ratio of 7.34 dB NA and -6.77 dB, and of 7.20 dB NA and -4.89 dB, respectively. CONCLUSION: The normal-hearing individuals with or without audiological complaints of tinnitus and hyperacusis had a similar performance in the speech recognition in silence, which was not the case when evaluated in the presence of competitive noise, since the SG had a lower performance in this communication scenario, with a statistically significant difference.

Limiares de reconhecimento de sentenças no silêncio em campo livre versus limiares tonais em fone em indivíduos com perda auditiva coclear

PURPOSE: to investigate the existent correlation among pure tone thresholds and Sentence Recognition Thresholds in Silence (TRSS) and to check if it is possible, through the audiogram, to set up a prognostic of the patients about their communication ability. METHODS: 42 individuals with moderate cochlear hearing loss, 18 females and 24 males, 41 to 76-year old were studied. Firstly, a basic audiologic evaluation was carried out, then a search of TRSS in free field, through the Portuguese Sentence List Test (PSLT) (Costa, 1998). RESULTS: The statistical analysis showed significant correlation between the sentence recognition thresholds in silence and the average of frequencies of 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz. However, when correlating with the average frequencies of 3, 4 e 6 kHz, there was no significant correlation. CONCLUSION: the probable prognostic concerning the ability for recognizing sentences in silence can be carried through just with the frequency thresholds of 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz in cochlear hearing loss.

Reconhecimento de fala em indivíduos com e sem queixa clínica de dificuldade para entender a fala no ruído

INTRODUCTION: Clinical and experimental study. Individuals with a normal hearing can be jeopardized in adverse communication situations, what negatively interferes with speech clearness. OBJECTIVE: check and compare the performance of normal hearing young adults who have a difficulty in understanding speech during noise or not, by making use of sentences as stimuli. METHOD: 50 normal hearing individuals, 21 of whom were male and 29 were female, aged between 19 and 32, were evaluated and divided into two groups: with and without a clinical complaint about understanding speech during noise. By using Portuguese Sentence Lists test, the Recognition Threshold of Sentences during Noise research was performed, through which the signal-to-noise (SN) ratios were obtained. The contrasting noise was introduced at 65 dB NA. RESULTS: the average values achieved for SN ratios in the left ear, for the group without a complaint and the group with a complaint, were respectively 6. 26 dB and 3. 62 dB. For the left ear, the values were -7. 12 dB and -4. 12 dB. A statistically significant difference was noticed in both right and left ears of the two groups. CONCLUSION: normal hearing individuals showing a clinical complaint about understanding speech at noisy places have more difficulty in the task to recognize sentences during noise, in comparison with the people who do not face such a difficulty. Accordingly, the customary audiologic evaluation must include tests using sentences during a contrasting noise, with a view to evaluating the speech recognition performance more reliably and efficiently.

SSW test in school children aged between 7 and 10 from two dissimilar socioeconomic cultural backgrounds

INTRODUCTION: Hearing comprises a lot more than just a peripheral sensitivity. To interpret such sounds, the participation of wide-ranging hearing abilities is necessary. It is known that a motivating environment plays a key role to develop these abilities. OBJECTIVE: study the hearing abilities evaluated by the Staggered Spondaic Word test - SSW - in school children aged between 7 and 10 from dissimilar socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. METHOD: A prospective, clinical and watching study. 51 children participated in this study and were divided into two groups in accordance with their socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Accordingly, Group 1 - G1 - (medium-high class) was comprised of 23 children and Group 2 - G2 - (medium-low class) had 28 children. SSW test was performed by analyzing both quantitative features: competitive right (CR) and competitive left (CL) conditions and the total of right answers in the test, and qualitative features: order effect (OE), hearing effect (HE), inversions and A-type standard. RESULTS: Quantitative features: a statistically significant difference was found between the studied groups regarding the total of right answers in the test, but not in relation to CR and CL. Qualitative features: a statistically significant difference was noticed for the OE only. Although the statistical analysis has not found a significant difference for all the studied variants, it was possible to observe that G1 had higher results for all of them. CONCLUSION: the hearing abilities evaluated by the SSW test in school children aged between 7 and 10 showed higher scores in children with a medium-high socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds in comparison with those of medium-low socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Reconhecimento de fala em escolares de 7 a 10 anos de dois distintos níveis socioeconômico-culturais

PURPOSE: to research and compare the speech recognition of 7 to 10 years-old normal-hearing scholars from different socioeconomic-cultural levels, through a test that uses sentences as stimulus (silence and competitive noise). METHOD: 51 children, from seven to ten years and 11 months, divided into two groups according to the socioeconomic-cultural level participated of the study. Thus, the Group 1 (G1) - middle high level - was comprised of 23 children and the Group 2 (G2) - middle lower level - of 28 children. Realized procedures: anamnesis; meatoscopy; to obtain hearing thresholds, measures of acoustic impedance and Recognition Sentence in the Silence Thresholds (RSST) and in the Noise (RSNT), expressed by the signal/noise ratio (S/N). These Recognition Sentence Thresholds were obtained using the Portuguese Sentence Lists test (PSL). The data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: there was no statistically significant difference between right and left ears for the analyzed variables in both groups. The average for the RSST for the G1 was 9.3 dB HL and for the G2, 10.7 dB HL. The S/N average in the G1 was -5.9 dB HL and in the G2, -1.7 dB HL. Statistical analysis showed significant difference between groups only for the S/N. CONCLUSIONS: when the auditory processing is more required, the middle lower level children demonstrated reduced performance, comparing to the upper middle level children.

Desenvolvimento e verificação de um instrumento de avaliação das expectativas de novos usuários de aparelhos de amplificação sonora individual

PURPOSE: to develop an instrument to measure the expectative degree regarding the use of hearing aids for an adult/elderly patient referred at SUS; and check for its reproducibility level. METHOD: 19 patients awaiting hearing aids, provided from the Ministry of Heath, thought the Grant Hearing Aids Program of the Secretary of Health Care from the Ministry of Health were submitted to a questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 12 questions, divided in two dimensions, was applied using the strategy of test and re-test, with an interval of seven days between the first and the second application. Data were submitted to a statistical analysis in order to estimate the level of agreement using the simple Kappa coefficient. RESULTS: from a survey of patient reports, as a question, we obtained a pre-questionnaire. It has been redrafted several times, as they gave the pilot applications in group of volunteer patients, resulting in the final version. The obtained results showed a satisfactory level of agreement (>0.61) for nine questions (75%), mild (0.41 to 0.60) for two questions (16.6%) and low (0.11 to 040) to only one question (8.3%). CONCLUSION: the tested instrument has a satisfactory level reproducibility and is a good option in order to evaluate the patients expectation level when being candidate for using the new hearing aids. This instrument can also be useful to guide the work of counseling and patient preparation in the selection and fitting process of the hearing aids.

O Efeito da lateralidade em teste de fala no ruído em normo-ouvintes

OBJETIVO: verificar o efeito da lateralidade em teste monoaural, na presenca de ruido competitivo, que utiliza sentencas como estimulo em individuos normo-ouvintes. METODO: 81 individuos normo-ouvintes, com idades entre 18 e 44 anos, divididos em 2 grupos de acordo com a lateralidade - 45 individuos destros e 36 canhotos -, foram avaliados por meio do teste Listas de Sentencas em Portugues (LSP), e obtida a relacao sinal-ruido (S/R) para cada orelha. RESULTADOS: os valores medios obtidos para as relacoes S/R na orelha direita, para os individuos destros e canhotos, foram, respectivamente, -6,5 dB e -4,5 dB. Para a orelha esquerda, foram -7,0 dB e -7,5 dB. As orelhas direitas apresentaram resultados significantemente piores, tanto nos individuos destros, como nos canhotos. No entanto a orelha direita dos canhotos foi sensivelmente pior em comparacao a dos destros. CONCLUSAO: existe diferenca quanto ao reconhecimento de fala, na presenca de ruido competitivo, em individuos destros e canhotos. A orelha direita apresentou pior desempenho em ambos os grupos, sendo que esse resultado negativo e mais acentuado nos canhotos.