Relationship between Auditory Processing Abilities and Hearing Aid Benefit in Elderly Individuals with Hearing Impairment

Background and Aim: Cognitive and auditory processing deficits are seen in older individuals with normal hearing sensitivity. Studies on older individuals with hearing impairment have assessed the cognitive function and correlated with hearing devices benefit. Since auditory processing can also affect speech perception abilities, and there is a possible relationship between cognition and some of the  auditory  processing  abilities,  it is essential  to assess  the relationship between auditory processing abilities and hearing aid benefit in naïve and experienced hearing aid users in older adults. Methods: Fifty individuals in the age range of 51 to 70 years with mild to moderate hearing loss participated in the study. There were 30 participants without any hearing aid experience and 20 participants with hearing aid experience for at least six weeks. Their auditory processing abilities were tested using gap detection test, duration pattern test, speech perception in noise, dichotic consonant-vowel test, masking level difference, forward and backward span tests. The hearing aid benefit was assessed using aided speech perception in noise measures and International Outcome Inventory-Hearing Aids questionnaire in Kannada. Results: Spearman’s correlation showed only correlation between auditory closure ability  and binaural integration abilities with hearing aid benefit in experienced users. There was no correlation between any other auditory processing abilities and hearing aid benefit. Conclusion: There is a correlation between a few auditory processes and hearing aid use in elderly individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. Keywords: Auditory processing abilities; hearing aid benefit; hearing aid users; working memory