Purpose: HEARING loss can affect physical, mental and social health of deaf individuals and may lead to depression, anxiety, isolation, suspicion and stress. This study is aimed to compare the mental health in HEARING impaired elderly with HEARING AID and HEARING impaired elderly without HEARING AID, referred to Ahvaz imam Khomeini hospital.Methods: This is a descriptive – analytic, case-control study. The study population included 72 HEARING impaired elderly with 60 years of age and older referred to Ahvaz imam Khomeini hospital. Therefore, 36 patients with HEARING AID and 36 patients without HEARING AID were allocated into each group consisted of 18 women and men. Data collecting tool included Kohlberg general health questionnaire – 28 (GHQ-28). Public health measures (GHQ-28) includes general health and four subscales of anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, social dysfunction. Independent samples t test was used for data analysis.Results: Mean mental health scores in HEARING impaired elderly without HEARING AID and with HEARING AID was 48.13 and 35.66, respectively. T test showed that the difference between 2 groups is statistically significant (p=0.001) and the difference mean mental health scores between men and women in 2 groups was significant (p£0.049). Difference in mean mental health subscales between 2 groups was also significant thus HEARING impaired elderly without HEARING AID compared to HEARING impaired elderly with HEARING AID are experienced more depression, anxiety, physical symptoms and social dysfunction (p£0.003).Conclusion: Results suggest that HEARING impaired elderly with HEARING AID compared to persons without HEARING AID have more mental health scores.

Introduction: Attitudes and aptitudes play an important role in the acceptance of HEARING AIDs. We can objectively and subjectively examine the attitude of individuals toward HEARING loss and HEARING AIDs, using Attitudes towards Loss of HEARING Questionnaire (ALHQ). The aim of this study was to examine the effect of demographic factors on the responses of individuals to ALHQ and to compare the scores of the questionnaire between HEARING AID users and HEARING AID non-users. Materials and Methods: This study was performed on 100 HEARING-impaired participants. They were divided into HEARING AID users and non-users groups. After HEARING assessments, the participants were asked to complete the questionnaire; then, the responses of the two groups were compared and the effects of demographic factors on the responses were examined. Results: The questionnaire scores in the HEARING AID non-users were higher than the HEARING AID users. The results showed a reverse correlation between the history of HEARING AID usage and the scores of the questionnaire. There was also a reverse correlation between the mean score of pure tone thresholds in the left ear with the scores of the questionnaire in the HEARING AID users. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the type of HEARING AID and the scores of the questionnaire. Conclusion: HEARING AID non-users have a more negative attitude toward HEARING AIDs and are more likely to deny their HEARING loss compared to HEARING AID users.

Objective: Comparing analog and DIGITAL HEARING AIDs reducing disability caused by HEARING deficiency among moderate to severe sensorineural HEARING-impaired persons.Method and Material: This descriptive - analytic study was carried out on two groups of subjects participated in this study in some audiology clinics of HEARING AID since May 2002 to October 2003. Twenty subjects wore analog HEARING AIDs and twenty one subjects wore DIGITAL HEARING AIDs. In this study, no subject had previous middle ear or psychological problems. APHAB questionnaire was completed before using HEARING AID and 2 months after to determine benefit of HEARING AID use.Results: Total score mean of APHAB inventory before and after use of analog HEARING AIDs were 52.215±6.420 and 32.300±3.443 respectively. Also total score mean of APHAB inventory before and after use of DIGITAL HEARING AIDs were 54.9252±9.028 and 26.321±10.916 respectively. There was no significant difference between total mean score of APHAB inventory before and after using analog and DIGITAL HEARING AIDs (P=0.058). While there was significant difference between total mean score of APHAB questionnaire before and after use of analog HEARING AIDs (P<0.001) and also before and after use of DIGITAL HEARING AIDs (P<0.001).Moreover age, gender, literacy level, occupation, degree of HEARING loss and manner of HEARING AID usage did not have significant effect on APHAB results. Configuration of loss had significant effect on aversiveness subscale before and after use of analog HEARING AIDs (P=0.008).Previous experience and duration of HEARING AID usage had significant effect on aversiveness subscale before and after use of DIGITAL HEARING AIDs (P=0.043) and (P=0.024), respectively, while all of these three items did not have significant effect on total mean score of APHAB inventory and also total mean scores of three subscales of ease of communication, reverberation and background noise.Conclusion: Comparing to analog HEARING AID, DIGITAL one is significantly beneficial for reverberation and background noise for HEARING-impaired persons, but it has no. benefit for ease of communication and aversiveness that may be arose from effects of the individual expectation, psychological and personal factors.

Objective: Use of HEARING AIDs is a common and an important programming of auditory rehabilitation. HEARING AID is an important device especially in children with HEARING loss, because good HEARING is effective for development of speech. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness and disadvantages associated with use of this device among patients with HEARING loss.Subjects and Methods: This cross-sectional retrospective and descriptive study included 100 patients, visiting Social Support Organization (behzisty center) of Ahvaz, with sensory-neural HEARING loss on HEARING AIDs. Demographic charteristics, medical records history, options of HEARING AIDs, advantages and disadvantages of those were analyzed.Results: Of the 100 cases of sensory neural HEARING loss, 68 % of patients were under 20 years old. Eighty three % of cases were psychologically satisfied with their HEARING AID, and 55% had good progress in their education. Eighty four % of cases used post-auricular HEARING AIDs. The disadvantages reported of using HEARING AID were: not enough power (18%), ear mold impression (24%) and allergy to the mold (12%).Conclusion: HEARING AIDs are useful in patients with sensory neural HEARING loss and can be used with comfort in majority of patients who need them. Good selection of HEARING AID, suitable mold and teaching the patients can reduce the disadvantages associated with use of HEARING AIDs.