Institute of Hearing Technology and Audiology, Jade University of Applied Sciences, Oldenburg, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence "Hearing4All", Oldenburg, Germany.
Int J Audiol. 2021;60(sup2):71-79. doi: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1858237. Epub 2021 Jan 17.
The aim of this study was to predict outcomes of the HHI questionnaire (Hearing Handicap Inventory) using individual variables beyond pure-tone hearing thresholds.
An extensive health-related test battery was applied including a general anamnesis, questionnaires, audiological measures, examination of visual acuity, balance, and cognition, as well as tactile- and motor skills. Based on the self-assessment of health variables and different sensory and cognitive performance measures, a frailty index was calculated to describe the health status of the participants. A stepwise linear regression analysis was conducted to predict HHI scores.
A mixed sample (N = 212) of 55- to 81-year-old, participants with different hearing and aiding status completed the test battery.
The regression analysis showed statistically significant contributions of pure-tone hearing thresholds, speech recognition in noise, age, frailty, mental health, and the willingness to use hearing aids on HHIE outcomes.
Self-reported hearing handicap assessed with the HHI questionnaire reflects various individual variables additionally to pure-tone hearing loss and speech recognition in noise. It is necessary to be aware of the influences of age and health-related variables on HHI scores when using it in research as well as in clinical settings.
本研究旨在通过纯音听力阈值以外的个体变量预测 HHI 问卷（听力障碍量表）的结果。
应用了广泛的健康相关测试组合，包括一般病史、问卷调查、听力学测量、视力、平衡和认知检查，以及触觉和运动技能。基于健康变量的自我评估和不同的感觉和认知表现测量，计算了一个衰弱指数来描述参与者的健康状况。进行了逐步线性回归分析以预测 HHI 评分。
一个由 55 至 81 岁、具有不同听力和助听状态的混合样本（N=212）完成了测试组合。
回归分析显示，纯音听力阈值、噪声下言语识别、年龄、衰弱、心理健康和使用助听器的意愿对 HHIE 结果具有统计学显著贡献。
使用 HHI 问卷评估的自我报告听力障碍除了纯音听力损失和噪声下言语识别外，还反映了各种个体变量。在研究和临床环境中使用 HHI 时，有必要注意年龄和与健康相关的变量对 HHI 评分的影响。
