Ho Eu Chin, Ong Warren Ming Wu, Li KeXin, Zhang HanYu, Bei Yen Tze Eileen, Medapati Satya Vijay Reddy, Seneviratna Aruni
a Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery , Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore , Singapore.
b Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine , National University of Singapore, Singapore , Singapore.
Int J Audiol. 2018 Oct;57(10):776-783. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2018.1476781. Epub 2018 Jun 29.
To examine the factors associated with late presentation at first hearing aid (HA) fitting, HA choice and usage among users in Singapore.
Retrospective cross-sectional study.
1068 subjects issued with HAs at a tertiary hospital from 2001 to 2013.
Half of the subjects presented with more severe (>55 dB) hearing loss (HL) in their better ear. In multivariable analysis, older age, Malay ethnicity, conductive and mixed HL, and combination type of HL were associated with more severe HL at first presentation. Over 70% of subjects were older than 65 years. Worse pure tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds of the better ear, gradual onset and sensorineural HL were associated with older age presentation. For unilaterally fitted subjects, PTA thresholds were the only determinant of having the better ear aided. Better PTA thresholds, younger age and sensorineural HL were associated with choosing in ear compared to behind the ear HAs. Younger age and worse PTA of the better ear were associated with ≥4 h of daily HA usage.
Age, ethnicity and type of HL were important determinants for more severe HL at first HA fitting. Older patients and those with better hearing were less likely to use their HAs regularly.
研究新加坡首次佩戴助听器（HA）时延迟就诊、HA选择及使用情况的相关因素。
回顾性横断面研究。
2001年至2013年在一家三级医院佩戴HA的1068名受试者。
一半受试者较好耳存在更严重（>55 dB）的听力损失（HL）。多变量分析显示，年龄较大、马来族裔、传导性和混合性HL以及HL的组合类型与首次就诊时更严重的HL相关。超过70%的受试者年龄超过65岁。较好耳纯音听力测定（PTA）阈值更差、起病缓慢和感音神经性HL与年龄较大时就诊相关。对于单侧佩戴的受试者，PTA阈值是较好耳佩戴助听器的唯一决定因素。与耳后式HA相比，较好的PTA阈值、较年轻的年龄和感音神经性HL与选择耳内式HA相关。较年轻的年龄和较好耳较差的PTA与每天使用HA≥4小时相关。
年龄、种族和HL类型是首次佩戴HA时更严重HL的重要决定因素。老年患者和听力较好的患者不太可能经常使用他们的HA。
