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. 2015:2015:827463.
doi: 10.1155/2015/827463. Epub 2015 Oct 18.

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids: A Lost Decade for Change

Zoe Yee Ting Chan  1 , Bradley McPherson  1
Affiliations

Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids: A Lost Decade for Change

Zoe Yee Ting Chan et al. Biomed Res Int. 2015.

Abstract

Background: Hearing aids sold directly to consumers in retail stores or through the internet, without individual prescription by audiological professionals, are termed over-the-counter (OTC) devices. This study aimed to determine whether there was any change in the electroacoustic characteristics of OTC devices compared to research carried out a decade earlier. The previous results indicated that most OTC devices were low-frequency-emphasis devices and were unsuitable for elderly people with presbycusis, who were likely to be the major consumers of these products.

Methods: Ten OTC devices were selected and their electroacoustic performance was measured. Appropriate clients for the OTC devices were derived, using four linear prescription formulae, and OTC suitability for elderly persons with presbycusis was investigated.

Results: OTC electroacoustic characteristics were similar to those in the earlier study. Most OTC devices were not acoustically appropriate for potential consumers with presbycusis. Although several of the devices could match prescriptive targets for individuals with presbycusis, their poor electroacoustic performance--including ineffective volume control function, high equivalent input noise, and irregular frequency response--may override their potential benefit.

Conclusion: The low-cost OTC devices were generally not suitable for the main consumers of these products, and there has been little improvement in the appropriateness of these devices over the past decade.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Over-the-counter hearing aids used in the present study. Top row: A: LingYin HA 611B; B: Hopewell HAP-40; C: Axwa EX-12D. Middle row: D: JNC-MHA-BTE130; E: UP-6411; F: ShengDe V-163; G: Axwa OM-188. Bottom row: H: Powertone HAP-F883; I: JNC-MHA-ITE 110; J: Axon K-80.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Electroacoustic measurements conducted on OTC hearing aids. OSPL 90: maximum sound pressure level output; HFA FOG; high frequency average full-on gain; EIN: equivalent input noise; THD: total harmonic distortion; I/O: input/output.
Figure 3
Figure 3
OSPL 90 curves (1) and frequency response curves (3) of OTC hearing aids: (a) C tone N; (b) J; (c) B.
Figure 4
Figure 4
I/O curve of OTC hearing aid G.
Figure 5
Figure 5
I/O curve of OTC hearing aid E.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Estimated mean audiogram for presbycusis based on Stenklev and Laukli's data [23].
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC A (tone N). (b) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC A (tone L). (c) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC B. (d) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC C (tone N). (e) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC C (tone H). (f) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC C (tone L). (g) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC D. (h) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC E. (i) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC F. (j) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC G. (k) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC H. (l) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC I. (m) Appropriate hearing loss for OTC J.
Figure 8
Figure 8
OTC hearing aid volume control gain characteristics.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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