Corso J F
Audiology. 1977 Mar-Apr;16(2):146-63.
This paper considers the factors of presbyacusis and age-related psychological changes in older adults in terms of their effects on the use or potential use of hearing aids as a means of improving aural communication. Data are presented on the prevalence of hearing impairment and the extent of hearing aid use in aging listeners. Four major classes of presbyacusis are described (sensory, neural, metabolic, and cochlear conduvtive) and a hearing aid prognosis is made for each type of disorder. It is shown that aging produces deficits in pure-tone thresholds, the speech reception threshold, and speech discrimination, but not all losses can be 'corrected' with a hearing aid. Binaural (stereophonic) devices are psychoacoustically superior to monaural devices; however, behavioral and personality changes in older patients often create problems of adaptation to the binaural aid. These changes may also affect the fitting of an aid and the patient's ability to learn to use it. Some practical suggestions are offered on the evaluation of hearing aids and it is emphasized that adequate orientation and counseling are typically required if hearing aid treatment is to be successful in presbyacusis.
本文从对使用或潜在使用助听器作为改善听觉交流手段的影响方面，探讨了老年人听力减退和与年龄相关的心理变化因素。文中给出了老年听力受损者听力障碍的患病率及助听器使用程度的数据。描述了听力减退的四大主要类型（感觉性、神经性、代谢性和耳蜗传导性），并针对每种类型的病症给出了助听器预后情况。研究表明，衰老会导致纯音阈值、言语接受阈值和言语辨别能力下降，但并非所有听力损失都能用助听器“矫正”。双耳（立体声）装置在心理声学方面优于单耳装置；然而，老年患者的行为和性格变化常常会给适应双耳助听器带来问题。这些变化也可能影响助听器的适配以及患者学习使用它的能力。文中就助听器评估提出了一些实用建议，并强调如果要使助听器治疗在听力减退中取得成功，通常需要进行充分的指导和咨询。
