An audit of hearing aid quality in Denmark

Abstract

This investigation was aimed towards an evaluation of the quality of hearing aids, dispensed from a National Hearing Health Service. During a twelve month period all subjects attending the hearing aid servicing section were recorded, and the reason for the visit noted. A total of 4450 people attended (45% males, 55% females) with a median age of 71 years, range 8-99 years. Among these 60.4% of attendances could be ascribed to defective hearing aids. Among the defective hearing aids 20.6% had been used less than one year and 91.4% of the defective aids had been used less than four years, that is within the guarantee period. The recording demonstrated that specific series of aids have a defect rate of 6.6-70.9% within the first year of use. A comparison between the frequency of defects in different types of hearing aids (BTE, ITE, ITC and other hearing aids) was performed indicating that there is a risk of 8.6% that BTE will be defective within one year of provision. As 20.6% of the applicants' defective hearing aids had been used less than one year, it is concluded that the quality of hearing aids should be improved; the hearing aid manufacturers' main categories for fault finding can be used in the audiological departments within the National Hearing Health Service; the recording offers valuable data on the quality of hearing aids, and specifically poor series can be revealed within a limited period.