韩国老年助听器使用者在安静和嘈杂环境中的最佳压缩阈值及释放时间

Preferred Compression Threshold and Release Time in Quiet and Noisy Conditions for Elderly Korean Hearing Aid Users.

作者信息

Han Woojae, Lee Junghak, Kim Jinsook, Lee Kyeongwon, Kim Dongwook

机构信息

Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Research Institute of Audiology and Speech Pathology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.

Department of Audiology, Hallym University of Graduate Studies, Seoul, Korea.

出版信息

J Audiol Otol. 2017 Sep;21(3):133-139. doi: 10.7874/jao.2017.00066. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

DOI:10.7874/jao.2017.00066

PMID:28942627

原文链接:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5621795/

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Listeners with sensorineural hearing loss want to compensate for their narrow dynamic range from appropriate compression functions of hearing aids. The present study aimed to determine which compression threshold and release time of nonlinear hearing aids might affect speech recognition and speech quality judgments.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Ten elderly listeners with symmetrical moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study. To compare two compression threshold (31 dB SPL vs. 61 dB SPL) and two release time (50 ms vs. 500 ms) conditions, subjects' speech recognition was measured using the Korean version of the Hearing in Noise Test in both quiet and noisy situations. All subjects were also asked to rate the degree of speech quality in terms of loudness, sharpness, clarity, and background noise immediately after completing the speech recognition test.

RESULTS

Although no significant difference emerged in speech recognition thresholds between the two compression thresholds in the quiet situation, the compression threshold of 31 dB SPL showed a lower (or better) signal-to-noise ratio of speech recognition compared to that of 61 dB SPL. The release times of 50 and 500 ms did not statistically differ in both quiet and noisy situations. Subjective categories were found to be louder and clearer in the 50 ms release time for quiet and noisy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We expect that these patterns of current results will apply for better-fitting protocol of elderly Korean hearing aid users.

摘要

背景与目的

感音神经性听力损失患者希望通过助听器的适当压缩功能来补偿其狭窄的动态范围。本研究旨在确定非线性助听器的哪些压缩阈值和释放时间可能会影响言语识别和言语质量判断。

对象与方法

10名患有对称性中度至重度感音神经性听力损失的老年受试者参与了本研究。为比较两种压缩阈值（31 dB SPL与61 dB SPL）和两种释放时间（50 ms与500 ms）条件，在安静和嘈杂环境下使用韩语版噪声环境下听力测试来测量受试者的言语识别能力。所有受试者在完成言语识别测试后，还被要求根据响度、尖锐度、清晰度和背景噪声对言语质量程度进行评分。

结果

在安静环境中，两种压缩阈值之间的言语识别阈值没有显著差异，但与61 dB SPL相比，31 dB SPL的压缩阈值显示出较低（或更好）的言语识别信噪比。在安静和嘈杂环境中，50 ms和500 ms的释放时间在统计学上没有差异。在安静和嘈杂环境中，主观类别分别在50 ms释放时间时被认为更响亮和更清晰。