Audiometric Correlates of the Unaided APHAB

Abstract

The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) is a self-report questionnaire that is used to quantify the impact of a hearing problem on an individual's daily life. In this investigation, the relationships were explored between typical clinical audiometric data and the four subscale scores of the APHAB administered in the unaided (without-amplification) condition. Sixty subjects provided APHAB scores, audiograms, and speech recognition data. Analyses revealed significant relationships between audiometric data and each of the three APHAB subscales that reflect speech communication (EC, RV, and BN). None of these subscales was significantly more strongly related to any specific audiological variable. However, the pattern of associations between audiometric variables and subscale scores was consistent with predictions based on item content for subscales EC and RV, but not for BN. As predicted, no relationship was found between audiometric data and scores for the Aversiveness subscale (AV). Even for the subscales with the strongest associations, differences in audiometric data could be used to explain half or less of the variance in self-report data.

Clinical Application and Psychometric Properties of a Swedish Translation of the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit

“…APHAB consists of 24 items. 4,9 Each item consists of a statement such as "Traffic noises are too loud." Seven responses are possible for each item; never (1%), seldom (12%), occasionally (25%), half-the-time (50%), generally (75%), almost always (87%), and always (99%) and a higher score indicates more difficulties.…”

“…9 Higher APHAB scores were found to be correlated to poorer PTA for subscales ease of communication (EC), background noise (BN), and reverberation (RV), but not for aversiveness (AV) toward environmental sounds. 9 That AV was not associated with PTA was explained by the fact that the AV subscale relates to unpleasantness of environmental sounds while PTA relates to detecting soft sounds. 9 Higher self-reported disability on the unaided APHAB are associated with increased probability of hearing loss, especially in higher frequencies.…”

“…8 APHAB can be used to assess the frequency of communication problems and problems with environmental noises with (aided) and without (unaided) amplification and the difference between these two listening conditions (benefit). 9 The unaided APHAB has previously been used to explore associations with pure-tone average (PTA) and performance on speech recognition tests in subjects with different degrees of binaural sensorineural hearing loss. 9 Higher APHAB scores were found to be correlated to poorer PTA for subscales ease of communication (EC), background noise (BN), and reverberation (RV), but not for aversiveness (AV) toward environmental sounds.…”

“…9 The unaided APHAB has previously been used to explore associations with pure-tone average (PTA) and performance on speech recognition tests in subjects with different degrees of binaural sensorineural hearing loss. 9 Higher APHAB scores were found to be correlated to poorer PTA for subscales ease of communication (EC), background noise (BN), and reverberation (RV), but not for aversiveness (AV) toward environmental sounds. 9 That AV was not associated with PTA was explained by the fact that the AV subscale relates to unpleasantness of environmental sounds while PTA relates to detecting soft sounds.…”

“…9 That AV was not associated with PTA was explained by the fact that the AV subscale relates to unpleasantness of environmental sounds while PTA relates to detecting soft sounds. 9 Higher self-reported disability on the unaided APHAB are associated with increased probability of hearing loss, especially in higher frequencies. 10 An additionally abbreviated Norwegian version of the APHAB (where number of items were reduced and response options were changed) has been used to assess the relationship between unaided responses and some demographic variables.…”