Real-World Listening Experiences of Hearing Aid Users Are Associated With In Situ Heart Rate and Acoustic Data.

Background: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) combined with acoustic data logging can provide insights into the real-world listening experiences of hearing aid (HA) users. Previous research conducted on individuals with normal hearing has shown that higher sound pressure level (SPL) and lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to be associated with poorer EMA ratings. Furthermore, including listening intent in the analyses revealed higher heart rate to be linked with better EMA ratings during focused listening compared to nonfocused listening. The current study explored if corresponding associations can be observed for HA users.

Method: Sixteen experienced HA users completed smartphone-based EMAs during a 2-week trial period. EMAs related to general listening experience and perceived noisiness of the surroundings were collected. When completing the EMAs, the participants also indicated their listening intent (speech-focused, other-focused, or nonfocused listening). The participants were fitted with test HAs that included adaptive noise management and that provided in situ data of the ambient SPL and SNR. Continuous heart rate data were collected using wristbands worn by the participants.

Results: Linear mixed-effects models showed that poorer general listening experiences were associated with higher SPL, lower SNR, and higher heart rate, while greater perceived noisiness was associated with higher SPL and lower SNR. When considering the influence of listening intent on these results, poorer general listening experiences and greater perceived noisiness were strongly associated with lower SNR during speech- and other-focused listening compared to nonfocused listening. Furthermore, poorer general listening experiences were associated with higher heart rate during other-focused listening.

Conclusions: Louder and noisier environments impact the real-world listening experiences of HA users negatively, especially during focused listening. Overall, these results underscore the importance of the ambient acoustics and listening intent. Further research is needed to shed more light on the relations with heart rate.