Evaluation of participation restriction in activities of daily living in elderly users of hearing aids

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the effects of using hearing aids and counseling in self-perception of participation restriction in activities in the elderly. Model Study: prospective and descriptive study. Method: we selected 29 elderly. They answered the questionnaire Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly Screening Version (HHIE-S), before the hearing aid fitting. After three months was carried out the same questionnaire and the results obtained were compared. Results: quantitatively the difference between the scores (total, social/situation, emotional), before and after the audiological intervention, showed significant results. In qualitative analysis, it was observed in the condition before the adaptation, a significant perception of auditory handicap for the total score; however, in the situation after the hearing aid use, it no longer occurred handicap perception for the three scores. Conclusion: the acoustic stimulation through the use of hearing aids and counseling sessions contributed to the decrease in scores of participation restriction in elderly, valued at HHIE-S questionnaire