Factors Influencing Hearing Aid Use in the Classroom: A Pilot Study Purpose This pilot study examined factors influencing classroom hearing aid use in school-age children with hearing loss. Method The research team visited classrooms of 38 children with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Grades 1–7) on 2 typical school days, twice per day, to document hearing aid use. In addition, parents ... Research Note
Research Note  |   December 01, 2015
Factors Influencing Hearing Aid Use in the Classroom: A Pilot Study
Samantha J. Gustafson, Hilary Davis, Benjamin W. Y. Hornsby, and Fred H. Bess
 
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Samantha J. Gustafson
    Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
  • Hilary Davis
    Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
  • Benjamin W. Y. Hornsby
    Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
  • Fred H. Bess
    Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
  • Disclosure: The authors have declared that no competing interests existed at the time of publication.
    Disclosure: The authors have declared that no competing interests existed at the time of publication. ×
  • Correspondence to Samantha J. Gustafson: samantha.gustafson@vanderbilt.edu
  • Editor and Associate Editor: Larry Humes
    Editor and Associate Editor: Larry Humes×
  • Copyright © 2015 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
Article Information
Hearing Disorders / Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants & Assistive Technology / School-Based Settings / Research Notes
Research Note   |   December 01, 2015
Factors Influencing Hearing Aid Use in the Classroom: A Pilot Study
American Journal of Audiology, December 2015, Vol. 24, 563-568. doi:10.1044/2015_AJA-15-0024
History: Received May 1, 2015 , Revised July 22, 2015 , Accepted July 31, 2015
 
American Journal of Audiology, December 2015, Vol. 24, 563-568. doi:10.1044/2015_AJA-15-0024
History: Received May 1, 2015; Revised July 22, 2015; Accepted July 31, 2015
Web of Science® Times Cited: 3

Purpose This pilot study examined factors influencing classroom hearing aid use in school-age children with hearing loss.

Method The research team visited classrooms of 38 children with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (Grades 1–7) on 2 typical school days, twice per day, to document hearing aid use. In addition, parents reported the number of hours their children used hearing aids at school.

Results Nearly 24% of children were observed not wearing their hearing aids in the classroom on either observation day. Both grade level and degree of hearing loss appeared to affect hearing aid use. Children in Grades 5–7 and those with milder hearing losses were less likely to wear hearing aids. Overall, parents accurately reported classroom hearing aid use; however, those with children in Grades 5–7 were less accurate than those with children in earlier grades.

Conclusions These preliminary results suggest that children with milder hearing loss and those in Grades 5–7 are at increased risk for reduced hearing aid use in the classroom. Also, parents of school-age children in these later grades are less accurate reporters of classroom hearing aid use compared to parents of children in earlier grades.

Acknowledgments
The research reported here was supported by the Dan and Margaret Maddox Charitable Fund and the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R324A110266 to Vanderbilt University (Fred H. Bess, Principal Investigator). The content expressed is that of the authors and does not necessarily represent official views of the Institute of Educational Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Data management was supported by the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (Grant UL1 TR000445 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, National Institutes of Health). We thank Stephen Camarata, Warren Lambert, Emily Fustos, and Amanda Headley for their comments and thoughtful discussion throughout the early stages of data analysis. We are grateful to the research assistants who traveled to schools throughout middle Tennessee to collect data and to the school districts, principals, and teachers who cooperated with our requests. Of course, this research would not have been possible without the families who agreed to participate.
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