Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T12:30:07.707Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Manual dexterity and successful hearing aid use

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2006

Manoj Kumar
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Torbay Hospital, Torquay and the School of Mathematics and Statistics*, University of Plymouth, Plymouth UK.
Simon Hickey
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Torbay Hospital, Torquay and the School of Mathematics and Statistics*, University of Plymouth, Plymouth UK.
Steve Shaw
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Torbay Hospital, Torquay and the School of Mathematics and Statistics*, University of Plymouth, Plymouth UK.

Abstract

Fine dexterity of the hand might be expected to correlate with the successful use of a hearing aid. In this study, the manual dexterity of 30 individuals between 65 and 85 years using a hearing aid was tested by the Purdue pegboard test and the result was compared to the benefit obtained from the use of a hearing aid assessed by a questionnaire. Of the 30 individuals included in this study 16 were wearing a ’behind the ear’ type of hearing aid and the rest had an ’in the ear’ type of hearing aid. A comparison is made between the two types of heariing aids. The results demonstrate a correlation between manual dexterity and successful use of a hearing aid when all the 30 individuals were considered as a single group. However, no such correlation was found for ’in the ear’ group when they were analysed separately.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Royal Society of Medicine Press Limited 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)