Determining the quality of life in the elderly with high frequency hearing loss before and after hearing aid fitting

Background and Aim: Hearing loss is a social damage affecting the most important aspect of social life i.e. communication. People with high frequency hearing loss do not accept hearing aid easily and resist its using. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of hearing aid in the quality of life of the elderly people with high frequency hearing loss. Methods: This study was performed on 22 elderly people over 60 years old with mild to moderate sensory neural high frequency hearing loss living in Hamadan City, Iran. Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) questionnaire was completed before and three months after using hearing aid. Social, emotional, and total scores before and after intervention were compared, too. Results: Findings showed significant improvement of social, emotional and total scores before and three months after using hearing aid (p 0.001). Comparison of mean scores showed that prescribing hearing aid was effective in improving the quality of life in the elderly with high frequency hearing loss. Conclusion: Considering beneficial effects of hearing aid on improving the quality of life in elderly patients with high frequency hearing loss, applying appropriate hearing aid and if needed rehabilitation programs are recommended.