Auditory Environments and Hearing Aid Feature Activation Among Younger and Older Listeners in an Urban and Rural Area.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation between younger listeners with normal hearing and older listeners with hearing loss in an urban and rural location. We hypothesized that (1) urban dwellers and younger listeners would encounter more diverse and demanding auditory environments than rural dwellers and older listeners, respectively; (2) the advanced hearing aid features (noise reduction and directional microphone) of urban dwellers and younger listeners would be activated more frequently than rural dwellers and older listeners, respectively.

DESIGN

The design of this study was cross-sectional with repeated measures. A total of 12 older adults with hearing loss (OHL-U) and 11 younger adults with normal hearing (YNH-U) were recruited from an urban area (Berkeley, California) and 13 older adults with hearing loss (OHL-R) and 10 YNH-U were recruited from a rural area (Iowa City, Iowa). Participants wore hearing aids that recorded data about their listening environments and completed ecological momentary assessments for 1 week.

RESULTS

The YNH-U group experienced higher sound pressure levels and hearing aid features were activated more frequently than in the OHL groups. The OHL-R group experienced significantly less diverse sound pressure levels than the YNH-U group. The YNH-R group had sound levels between the YNH-U group and the OHL groups but without significant differences from any other group. The YNH groups showed a greater likelihood of hearing aid feature activation than the OHL-R group.

CONCLUSIONS

Demographics affect auditory environments and the activation of hearing aid features. Younger urban dwellers have the most diverse or demanding auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation, and older, rural dwellers with hearing loss have the least diverse or demanding auditory environments and hearing aid feature activation. Future studies of real-world auditory environments and audiology intervention effectiveness should consider location in recruitment and interpretation of results.