Evaluation and Troubleshooting Flashcards
How can we assess outcomes and what are we assessing?
Benefit - speech assessment, questionnaire
Satisfaction - questionnaire
Usage - questionnaire, data logging
Quality of Life - questionnaire
What can speech tests be used to assess?
Quickly show how well aids improve client’s ability to understand speech in the situation in which the test is delivered
Determine which sounds the wearer can hear well and which sounds they cannot (implications for fine-tuning)
Demonstrate benefit to wearer or their family
Demonstrate importance of visual cues
Predict how well client will hear in certain situations, can help decide on whether communication training is necessary
Used to assess changes over time
What is the SPIN test?
Speech in Noise
Presented with competing noise
Client faces away from clinician and the clinician reads out high and low predictability sentences
The client is asked to repeat the last word
Presented in aided and unaided with items suitable for flat losses or sloping losses
Usually presented live voice
Can go through it with/without visual cues
When can you perform these self report questionnaires? APHAB, HHIE, HAPI, SHAPIE, COSI
Before and after fitting: APHAB and HHIE
After fitting: HAPI, SHAPIE
Structured interviews and measured pre and post fitting
What is the HHIE?
Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly
Compare aided and unaided scores
“Does a hearing problem cause you to avoid groups of people?”
Responses - yes, sometimes, no
After fitting scores usually decrease by 20-30 points on the 100 point scale
Categories emotional and social
Looking at activity restrictions and feelings
What are the SF-36 and WHO-DASII?
Quality of Life measures
World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule
- - - e.g. in the last 30 days how much trouble have you had: generally understanding what people say? Starting and maintaining a conversation? How much did these difficulties interfere with your life?
Very rarely used clinically more research
What is the APHAB?
Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit
Compare aided and unaided scores
e.g. “I have difficulty in hearing a conversation when I am with one of my family at home”
Responses - always, almost always, generally, half-the-time, occasionally, seldom, never
What i? the HAUQ?
Usage, benefit and management of HA
Questions on general issues - satisfaction with the service and repairs. What did they like most and least?
Administered 3 months after fitting - mail or phone
Quick and easy
What are the HAPI and SHAPIE?
Hearing Aid Performance Inventory / Shortened Hearing Aid Performance Inventory for the Elderly
Asks about benefit
5 point scoring scale
Add scores to measure benefit
Response options - hinders, no help, very little help, helpful, very helpful
Pretty useless, most of the questions are so specific they don’t apply
Problems with self report questionnaires
Clients may not like them
May not be relevant
Time consuming
SMART goals
specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely
Checklist for the follow up appointment
General enquiry about progress
Examine ears for pressure points
Examine aids (clean? wax? battery? settings?)
How well is the aid fitting in the ear?
Any problems with loud sounds?
Problems in BGN?
Ask client to demonstrate that they can insert and remove aid and change battery
How often wearing aids?
Further advice?
Problem with insertion
Remove helix lock
reinstructed on landmarks for positioning
water based lubricant
trimmed
Problem with removal
handle can be fitted
different style may be needed
instructed to use a twisting motion
Problem locating control on aid
consider add on caps to increase control size
confusing two controls, one may need to be locked/removed
change to automatic aid
remote control
