Optimum side for fitting a monaural hearing aid. 3. Preference and benefit.

Benefit from a simulated monaural hearing aid was assessed in diotic and dichotic listening conditions in 92 subjects with bilateral, mild to moderate sensorineural hearing impairment. In diotic conditions, subjects scored better on a speech identification task with an 'aid' in their better hearing ear. However, in dichotic conditions, a 'hearing aid' the better hearing ear was of no benefit when the signal came from the side of the poorer ear, while a 'hearing aid' in the poorer ear was of benefit in all listening situations. These results support the hypothesis that patients' preference for using an aid in their poorer hearing ear (Swan et al., 1987) is based on the desire to minimise their disability in the most disadvantageous listening situations.