Effects of Frequency Range and Degree of Hearing Loss on WordRecognition in Elderly Listeners

Effects of Frequency Range and Degree of Hearing Loss on Word Recognition in Elderly Listeners Yeonmee Joo and Hyunsook Jang Purn ORL Clinic, Seoul, Korea Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, College of Natural Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea The purpose of this study was to identify the word recognition difficulties in the hearing-impaired elderly according to frequency range and degree of hearing loss Word recognition scores were measured at the most comfortable level (MCL) and at a conversational level of 55 dB HL. This study included 10 normal-hearing and 90 impaired-hearing elderly subjects. The 90 hearing-impaired subjects were divided into 9 groups according to the combination of three frequency ranges of hearing loss (1,000-6,000 Hz, 2,000-6,000 Hz, & 3,000-6,000 Hz) and three degrees of hearing loss (26-35 dB, 36-45 dB, & 46-55 dB). At the most comfortable level, recognition scores revealed a range of 86-96% for all elderly groups. There was no significant recognition difference among three frequency ranges of hearing loss. Recognition performance decreased as degree of hearing loss increased. At a conversational level, recognition scores revealed a range of 68-96% for all elderly groups. Recognition performance was significantly deteriorated with increasing degree of hearing loss and increasing frequency ranges of hearing loss. When frequency range of hearing loss was wider than 2,000-6,000 Hz and when degree of hearing loss became greater than 36 dB, recognition performance was significantly poorer at a conversational level than at the most comfortable level. The results of this study show that frequency range and degree of hearing loss effects on word recognition in the elderly are significant if word is presented at a conversational level. These findings suggest that word recognition measured at a conversational level provides better prediction for communication difficulties in elderly listeners with impaired hearing. Moreover, it can be usefully applied for counseling and rehabilitation for the elderly with impaired hearing.