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Audiology Research
Special Issues
Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition
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Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Audiology Research (ISSN 2039-4349).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 6820

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sten Hellström

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology/Division of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, SE-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: hearing disorders; audiology; deafness; hearing loss; ENT
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recently a 1st Edition of Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment was completed. The interest of this research area was amazing and resulted in eleven high-quality scientific reports on this important subject. New knowledge emerged e.g., showing that individualized treatment plans and timely re-evaluations are crucial for an efficient audiological rehabilitation. Another study on patients aged 85 showed that the CI positively affected their well-being.

Against the positive response on the field of rehabilitation of hearing impairment we are now inviting to a 2nd edition.

The prevalence of hearing impairment is increasing and at present is the third leading cause of years lived with disability, well exceeding diseases such as diabetes and depressive disorders. A recent report – a systematic and meta-analysis study - from Univ of South Carolina concludes that unsafe recreational listening practices in adolescence and youngsters are highly prevalent worldwide and may place over 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss. Here we have to attack not only improved rehabilitation but also issues of prevention.

Many questions concerning hearing impairment and rehabilitation remain to be answered. Recent work has suggested an association between hearing loss and cognitive functioning. Mechanisms underlying this association are still unclear though evidence indicates higher-order central processing to affect auditory abilities. Importantly, studies suggest that rehabilitation of the hearing loss may have an impact on cognitive outcomes/central functioning.

Another area under development is new molecular therapies for treatment of hearing loss.  Potential for repair and regeneration in the cochlea by use new biomaterials, gene therapy technologies, cell therapy and the use of the cochlear implant as a vehicle for drug delivery is challenging..

The aim of the present 2nd Special Issue on “Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment” is to elaborate on today’s evidence-based knowledge on aural rehabilitation, to provide an update on technical rehabilitation by hearing aids, bone conduction devices and cochlear implants and to highlight aspects of psychosocial rehabilitation of hearing impairment related to severity, age, gender, mental fatigue, comorbidity, rehabilitation at distance, cognition, but also molecular therapies etc.  We are greatly looking forward to and encourage submissions aiming to shed light on these meaningful aspects.

Prof. Dr. Sten Hellström
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Audiology Research is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sensorineural hearing loss
  • rehabilitation
  • communication strategies
  • auditory training
  • cognition
  • hearing aids
  • cochlear implants
  • assistive listening devices
  • molecular therapies

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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17 pages, 8195 KiB  
Article
Measuring Speech Intelligibility with Romanian Synthetic Unpredictable Sentences in Normal Hearing
by Oana Astefanei, Sebastian Cozma, Cristian Martu, Roxana Serban, Corina Butnaru, Petronela Moraru, Gabriela Musat and Luminita Radulescu
Audiol. Res. 2024, 14(6), 1028-1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres14060085 - 1 Dec 2024
Viewed by 379
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Understanding speech in background noise is a challenging task for listeners with normal hearing and even more so for individuals with hearing impairments. The primary objective of this study was to develop Romanian speech material in noise to assess speech perception in [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Understanding speech in background noise is a challenging task for listeners with normal hearing and even more so for individuals with hearing impairments. The primary objective of this study was to develop Romanian speech material in noise to assess speech perception in diverse auditory populations, including individuals with normal hearing and those with various types of hearing loss. The goal was to create a versatile tool that can be used in different configurations and expanded for future studies examining auditory performance across various populations and rehabilitation methods. Methods: This study outlines the development of Romanian speech material for speech-in-noise testing, initially presented to normal-hearing listeners to establish baseline data. The material consisted of unpredictable sentences, each with a fixed syntactic structure, generated using speech synthesis from all Romanian phonemes. A total of 50 words were selected and organized into 15 lists, each containing 10 sentences, with five words per sentence. Two evaluation methods were applied in two sessions to 20 normal-hearing volunteers. The first method was an adaptive speech-in-noise recognition test designed to assess the speech recognition threshold (SRT) by adjusting the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) based on individual performance. The intelligibility of the lists was further assessed at the sentence level to evaluate the training effect. The second method was used to obtain normative data for the SRT, defined as the SNR at which a subject correctly recognizes 50% of the speech material, as well as for the slope, which refers to the steepness of the psychometric function derived from threshold recognition scores measured at three fixed SNRs (−10 dB, −7 dB, and −4 dB) during the measurement phase. Results: The adaptive method showed that the training effect was established after two lists and remained consistent across both sessions. During the measurement phase, the fixed SNR method yielded a mean SRT50 of −7.38 dB with a slope of 11.39%. These results provide reliable and comparable data, supporting the validity of the material for both general population testing and future clinical applications. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the newly developed Romanian speech material is effective for evaluating speech recognition abilities in noise. The training phase successfully mitigated initial unfamiliarity with the material, ensuring that the results reflect realistic auditory performance. The obtained SRT and slope values provide valuable normative data for future auditory assessments. Due to its flexible design, the material can be further developed and extended to accommodate various auditory rehabilitation methods and diverse populations in future studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 1324 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Tinnitus Management: The Important Role of Hearing Aids with Sound Generators
by Yuki Kosugi, Toru Miwa, Yuka Haruta, Kosuke Hashimoto and Shoko Kato
Audiol. Res. 2024, 14(4), 674-683; https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres14040057 - 6 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1730
Abstract
Hearing aids (HAs), especially those with sound generators (SGs), are used in the management of tinnitus. However, their comparative efficacies and long-term outcomes remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy and long-term outcomes of tinnitus therapy using various HA SG models. We retrospectively [...] Read more.
Hearing aids (HAs), especially those with sound generators (SGs), are used in the management of tinnitus. However, their comparative efficacies and long-term outcomes remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy and long-term outcomes of tinnitus therapy using various HA SG models. We retrospectively reviewed 666 patients with chronic tinnitus characterized by persistent symptoms for >6 months. At the initial visit, the patients received educational counselling on tinnitus (Utsunomiya method) and completed a comprehensive questionnaire comprising the tinnitus handicap inventory, a visual analog scale, the state–trait anxiety inventory, and the emotional intelligence scale. The scores were compared among various models of HA SGs and SGs. The patients underwent follow-ups for up to 2 years. Our results indicated that tinnitus retraining therapy using SGs and conventional HAs effectively managed chronic tinnitus. The prolonged use of HAs appeared to exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, emphasizing the superior long-term effectiveness of SG HAs, particularly ZEN (Widex ZEN, WS Audiology, Lynge, Denmark). Our findings indicate that HAs are useful in the first year, but their prolonged use may exacerbate tinnitus symptoms, whereas HA SGs are effective in the long term. Future studies should account for the variations in tinnitus treatment effects based on the type of sound employed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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8 pages, 237 KiB  
Article
The Efficacy of Wireless Auditory Training in Unilateral Hearing Loss Rehabilitation
by Andrea Lovato, Daniele Monzani, Ylenia Kambo, Leonardo Franz, Andrea Frosolini and Cosimo De Filippis
Audiol. Res. 2024, 14(4), 554-561; https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres14040046 - 24 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1358
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of auditory training (AT) in patients with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) using hearing aids (HAs), comparing traditional methods with a new approach involving a wireless remote microphone. Methods: The study included 96 [...] Read more.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of auditory training (AT) in patients with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) using hearing aids (HAs), comparing traditional methods with a new approach involving a wireless remote microphone. Methods: The study included 96 participants, divided into two groups, with ages ranging from 42 to 64 years, comprising both male and female subjects. A clinical trial including consecutive moderate UHL patients was performed at our institution. For the study group, a Roger Pen was used during AT with patients inside a sound-attenuating cabin. Controls followed conventional sessions. Professional speech and language pathologists performed the rehabilitation. Audiological outcomes were measured, including word recognition at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of 0 dB, +5 dB, and +10 dB, to determine the effectiveness of the training. Measurements also included the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale to assess perceived auditory abilities. Results: A total of 46 and 50 UHL patients were randomly included in the study and control groups, respectively. No differences were found in terms of sex, age, presence of tinnitus, duration of hearing loss, pure tone average, and speech-in-noise perception without an HA. Following HA fitting and AT, a notable enhancement in the ability to identify speech in noisy environments was observed in the study group. This improvement was significant at SNRs of +5 and +10. When comparing the ability to identify speech in noise using HAs across both groups, it was observed that hearing capabilities post-wireless AT showed a significant improvement at an SNR of +5. Only the study group had a significant improvement in the total Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale score after the training. Conclusions: In our group of UHL patients, we found significantly better speech-in-noise perception when HA fitting was followed by wireless AT. Wireless AT may facilitate usage of HAs, leading to binaural hearing in UHL patients. Our findings suggest that future interventions might benefit from incorporating wireless technology in AT programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
12 pages, 1147 KiB  
Article
Hebrew Digits in Noise (DIN) Test in Cochlear Implant Users and Normal Hearing Listeners
by Riki Taitelbaum-Swead and Leah Fostick
Audiol. Res. 2024, 14(3), 457-468; https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres14030038 - 20 May 2024
Viewed by 878
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the Hebrew version of the digits-in-noise (DIN) thresholds among cochlear implant (CI) users and their normal-hearing (NH) counterparts, explore the influence of age on these thresholds, examine the effects of early auditory exposure versus its absence on DIN [...] Read more.
This study aimed to compare the Hebrew version of the digits-in-noise (DIN) thresholds among cochlear implant (CI) users and their normal-hearing (NH) counterparts, explore the influence of age on these thresholds, examine the effects of early auditory exposure versus its absence on DIN threshold, and assess the correlation between DIN thresholds and other speech perception tests. A total of 13 children with CI (aged 5.5–11 years), 15 pre-lingual CI users (aged 14–30 years), and 15 post-lingual CI users (aged 22–77 years), and their age-matched NH controls (n = 45) participated in the study. Speech perception tasks, including the DIN test, one-syllable word test, and sentence identification tasks in various auditory conditions, served as the main outcome measures. The results indicated that CI users exhibited higher speech reception thresholds in noise across all age groups compared to NH peers, with no significant difference between pre-lingual and post-lingual CI users. Significant differences were also observed in monosyllabic word and sentence accuracy in both quiet and noise conditions between CI and NH groups. Furthermore, correlations were observed between the DIN and other speech perception tests. The study concludes that CI users require a notably higher signal-to-noise ratio to discern digits in noise, underscoring the DIN test’s utility in assessing speech recognition capabilities in CI users while emphasizing the need for a comprehensive test battery to fully gauge their speech perception abilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 936 KiB  
Article
Development of New Open-Set Speech Material for Use in Clinical Audiology with Speakers of British English
by Mahmoud Keshavarzi, Marina Salorio-Corbetto, Tobias Reichenbach, Josephine Marriage and Brian C. J. Moore
Audiol. Res. 2024, 14(2), 264-279; https://doi.org/10.3390/audiolres14020024 - 26 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1513
Abstract
Background: The Chear open-set performance test (COPT), which uses a carrier phrase followed by a monosyllabic test word, is intended for clinical assessment of speech recognition, evaluation of hearing-device performance, and the fine-tuning of hearing devices for speakers of British English. This paper [...] Read more.
Background: The Chear open-set performance test (COPT), which uses a carrier phrase followed by a monosyllabic test word, is intended for clinical assessment of speech recognition, evaluation of hearing-device performance, and the fine-tuning of hearing devices for speakers of British English. This paper assesses practice effects, test–retest reliability, and the variability across lists of the COPT. Method: In experiment 1, 16 normal-hearing participants were tested using an initial version of the COPT, at three speech-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Experiment 2 used revised COPT lists, with items swapped between lists to reduce differences in difficulty across lists. In experiment 3, test–retest repeatability was assessed for stimuli presented in quiet, using 15 participants with sensorineural hearing loss. Results: After administration of a single practice list, no practice effects were evident. The critical difference between scores for two lists was about 2 words (out of 15) or 5 phonemes (out of 50). The mean estimated SNR required for 74% words correct was −0.56 dB, with a standard deviation across lists of 0.16 dB. For the participants with hearing loss tested in quiet, the critical difference between scores for two lists was about 3 words (out of 15) or 6 phonemes (out of 50). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rehabilitation of Hearing Impairment: 2nd Edition)
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