Factors associated with hearing aid fitting outcomes on the IOI-HA.

A hallmark of quality clinical practice in audiology should be the ongoing measurement of outcomes in order to improve practice. The aims of this study were to describe outcomes for a large sample of clients fitted with hearing aids and to investigate factors associated with mean IOI-HA scores, with a view to providing guidance about factors that warrant particular attention in the clinic in order to improve outcomes. Measures used were the international outcome inventory - hearing aids (IOI-HA; Cox & Alexander, 2002 ) and a series of questions about satisfaction with hearing aid performance in different listening situations, hearing aid attributes, and clinical service. The participant sample consisted of 1653 adults, most often fitted bilaterally (78%); 81% had digital aids with at least two listening programs. Results of the regression analysis indicated that there were a number of significant factors that, in total, explained 57% of the variance in IOI-HA scores. Higher mean IOI-HA scores were most strongly associated with greater satisfaction with hearing aid attributes of aid fit/comfort, clarity of tone and sound, and comfort with loud sounds and with satisfaction in the listening situations of conversation with one person, in small groups, in large groups, and outdoors. These findings highlight the importance of focusing rehabilitation on improving satisfaction with aided listening across a range of environments and with key attributes of hearing aid performance.