(I) PCA - TESTED AND APPROVED Results of Hearing Study Lapperre 2010

Last year Lapperre undertook a study of people who have good hearing but not hearing "were invited to try out the PCA. 1351 people participated and tested the PCAs for several weeks.

After confirming 70% of the PCA hearing system better hearing and decree annoying noise. 77% of people who already wore a hearing system, found the new PCAs even perform better than their own hearing.

 

We go over the findings with Ivan Dierickx, head of the audiology team Lapperre and closely involved in the study.

"Why study the idea of a Hearing to take?"

 

Dierickx ivan: "The approach of the study was to hear people with hearing loss to become acquainted with the possibilities of our PCA and PCA to make them aware that a solution to their problem. From experience we know that many people have been aware of their hearing loss, but doubt a first step. This is also confirmed by the investigation: more than 40% of the subjects experienced four years been affected by their hearing loss, 1 in 5 ran for over 10 years consciously around without anything to do.

The Hearing Study, we have these people can drive action. Their participation in the study shows that they realize that their hearing could use a hearing aid and now they have put themselves first step to better hearing, that a hearing aid testing. "

 

"What were the reactions?"

 

Dierickx ivan: "We can still say that these were positive. Most participants were aimed particularly better hearing and understanding in a noisy environment and when watching TV. After the test period less than 70% confirmed that they have achieved this goal PCAs, so I think we succeeded in our mission. Now they know what real difference PCAs are in daily communication and that they can improve their quality of life with it. "

"Some participants wore hearing aids already a classic. What they found in the modern PCAs? "

Ivan Dierickx: "This 'experienced' people have to some extent been enhanced hearing with their current hearing aid, but would still consider the comparison with the PCAs. No less than 77% of them experienced the new PCAs perform better than their own hearing aid, which still a remarkable result. The big difference is situated mostly in terms of speech intelligibility and hearing comfort. The PCAs were initially designed to understand in noisy situations.

They usually have a more modern technology than most conventional hearing aids and scoring so often a lot better in terms of hearing comfort. The IPCA's add to that the extra dimension. 78% of the participants think that calling with Bluetooth mobile phone via a significant improvement. Even watching TV is easier thanks to the Bluetooth connection of their IPCA's. "

"You have different people with tinnitus also tested."

 

Dierickx ivan: "What was remarkable was that one in three participants indicated to have tinnitus. In practice, it is also confirmed in the study, we see that tinnitus patients during the trial period, a specific guidance. Given the complexity of the problem has a specialized Tinnitus Lapperre home team, which has ten years experience in guiding tinnitus patients. With the foundation of our Lapperre Medical Center, the first beginning in May Godtschalckstraat two in Ostend (059/51 69 05) opens, we will be better able to meet the needs of the group. "

 

"Do PCAs an impact on how they experience their tinnitus?"

 

Dierickx ivan: "We saw that. But the results show that many of them PCAs were an important support for tinnitus suppression. In 75% of people with tinnitus, the degree of satisfaction in quiet situations even more positively than in the population without tinnitus. Their tinnitus often causes so many problems that the concentration necessary attention needed to comfortably speech difficult. Many people took the test tinnitus less true with the wearing of PCAs. "

"Good points so the PCAs. Conclusion: in the future continue to focus on speech understanding and optimizing the communication between? "

 

Dierickx ivan: "Yes. Good hearing, but also well understood and easily communicate the core message, around which we continue to work. The new product, which will soon be launched, was a response to the results from the Horn Study and provide an adequate response to the desires of many active hearing. "

• In 88% of the testers was a relevant audience fall down, half of them have already experienced four years of discomfort. 20% has more than 10 years know their hearing problem, but wearing a set of PCA because of the aversion to wearing a hearing aid or because they feel too young.
  
• Over 70% of participants confirm that they used the PCA hearing system have achieved their main goal, namely to better hear and understand conversations with annoying noise and TV programs.

• 77% of participants who already wore a hearing, found the new PCAs perform better than their own hearing. The vast majority (78%) found the phone to phone via Bluetooth, a significant improvement content.

• One of the three participants have tinnitus. For many of them will lower the perceived tinnitus by wearing PCAs and improves speech understanding in quiet situations.