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Semin Hear 2006; 27(4): 337-344
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-954862
Published in 2006 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Recall of Hearing Aid Orientation Content by First-Time Hearing Aid Users

Judith L. Reese1 , Sherri L. Smith2
  • 1James A. Haley Veterans Affairs Hospital, Tampa, Florida, and University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
  • 2James H. Quillen VA Medical Center, Mountain Home, Tennessee, and East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 November 2006 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Recall of hearing aid orientation (HAO) information by new hearing aid users was assessed in this pilot study. Twenty-eight older adults completed a 25-item recall test of hearing aid knowledge that contained questions targeting information presented during a typical HAO. The mean recall score immediately following the HAO was 80%. The mean recall score at the hearing aid follow-up 4 weeks later was 77%, indicating that most of the information was retained. Recall scores were not significantly different based on time of testing. Although a substantial amount of hearing aid use and care information was reported at the hearing aid follow-up, some important information was forgotten by several participants. These preliminary results suggest the need for greater focus on certain important hearing aid use and care information during the HAO.

KEYWORDS

Hearing aids - hearing aid orientation - patient recall - patient education - information counseling

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Appendix A Hearing Aid Probed Recall Inventory

  1. What size battery does your hearing aid use?

  2. What should you do if a hearing aid battery is accidentally swallowed by a person or pet?

  3. How do you reorder batteries?

  4. How long should your hearing aid battery last?

  5. How do you know when your hearing aid battery is going dead?

  6. How do you turn your hearing aid off?

  7. How often should you clean your hearing aids?

  8. How do you clean your hearing aids?

  9. Should you use cleaners or chemicals on your hearing aids?

  10. Are you supposed to sleep with your hearing aids in your ears?

  11. What do you do with your hearing aids when you are not wearing them?

  12. Can your hearing aids get wet?

  13. 13. If you are around loud noises, should you wear your hearing aids?

  14. What is feedback?

  15. When can you expect feedback; when is feedback not normal or a problem?

  16. If your hearing aids are whistling, what are three things that you can try to make them stop whistling?

  17. If your hearing aid is not working right, what are two things that you can try to get it to work again?

  18. If you cannot get your hearing aid to start working, what should you do?

  19. How do you tell the right hearing aid from the left hearing aid?

  20. What does your hearing aid microphone do?

  21. How do you change the volume of your hearing aid?

  22. Does your hearing aid have multiple programs? If so, what are they?

  23. How do you change your other programs?

  24. How do you use the telephone with your hearing aids?

  25. Can you expect to hear speech better with your hearing aids in all situations?

Judith L ReesePh.D. 

JC Audiology, Inc., 1541 Dale Mabry Highway

Suite 201, Lutz, Florida 33548

Email: jreese@jc-audiology.com

Sherri L SmithPh.D. 

James H. Quillen VA Medical Center

Audiology, 126 Mountain Home, TN 37684

Email: sherri.smith@med.va.gov

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