Marcotti Anthony, Silva-Letelier Catherine, Galaz-Mella Javier, Ianiszewski Alejandro, Vargas Nicole B, Fuentes-López Eduardo
Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Rehabilitación y Calidad de Vida, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago 7510157, Chile.
Magister en Epidemiología, Escuela de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8330023, Chile.
Audiol Res. 2025 May 1;15(3):50. doi: 10.3390/audiolres15030050.
: The conventional strategy for addressing age-related hearing loss is hearing aid (HA) use, yet many individuals underutilize their devices. Despite the positive effects of HA use, adherence remains low, highlighting the importance of studying associated variables. We hypothesize that better unaided speech perception in noise (SPiN) would be associated with greater perceived benefit from HAs, which, in turn, would be linked to increased HA use. : A cross-sectional study design was used, including 114 older adults (≥65 years) who were HA users. HA use and perceived benefit were assessed using questions 1 and 2 of the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HAs), while unaided SPiN performance was measured monaurally with a speech-in-noise test. In the mediation analysis, SPiN performance was the predictor, perceived benefit the mediator, and HA use the outcome. Direct and indirect effects were evaluated using generalized structural equation modeling. : No significant total effect was found for the right ear. For the left ear, there was a significant indirect effect of SPiN performance on HA use through perceived benefit (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.06-1.57, = 0.019) but no direct effect ( = 0.563). In addition, a significant total effect of left ear SPiN performance on HA use was observed ( = 0.041). : The findings suggest that unaided SPiN performance-particularly in the left ear-may be indirectly associated with HA use through its effect on perceived benefit. These results underscore the potential value of including SPiN assessments in the HA fitting process and counseling strategies for older adults.
解决年龄相关性听力损失的传统策略是使用助听器（HA），然而许多人并未充分利用他们的设备。尽管使用助听器有积极效果，但依从性仍然很低，这凸显了研究相关变量的重要性。我们假设，在噪声环境中更好的 unaided 言语感知（SPiN）与从助听器中获得更大的感知益处相关，而这反过来又与增加助听器的使用有关。
采用横断面研究设计，纳入114名年龄≥65岁的助听器使用者。使用国际助听器结果量表（IOI-HAs）的问题1和问题2评估助听器的使用情况和感知益处，同时通过言语噪声测试单耳测量 unaided SPiN 表现。在中介分析中，SPiN 表现是预测变量，感知益处是中介变量，助听器使用是结果变量。使用广义结构方程模型评估直接效应和间接效应。
右耳未发现显著的总效应。对于左耳，SPiN 表现通过感知益处对助听器使用有显著的间接效应（OR = 1.26，95%CI 1.06 - 1.57，P = 0.019），但无直接效应（P = 0.563）。此外，观察到左耳 SPiN 表现对助听器使用有显著的总效应（P = 0.041）。
研究结果表明，unaided SPiN 表现——尤其是左耳——可能通过其对感知益处的影响与助听器使用间接相关。这些结果强调了在老年人的助听器验配过程和咨询策略中纳入 SPiN 评估的潜在价值。
