Development of an auditory rehabilitation training programme for hearing impaired adults in Saudi Arabia

Hearing impairment is one of the most common sensory disabilities, affecting millions of people worldwide. The current management of acquired hearing impairment in adults is usually in the form of hearing aids. An auditory rehabilitation programme may or may not be provided although literature suggests that such programmes may enhance hearing aid benefits. This study was conducted in an Arabic-speaking country, specifically Saudi Arabia, and is the first to develop an auditory rehabilitation intervention programme in the Arabic language that focuses on working age adults who are new hearing aid users. Method: Randomised intervention study design. Thirty-five participants with mild to severe acquired hearing loss (intervention group n=18, control group n=17). Results: Significant changes were found in the performance of the intervention group in the Minimal Audible Capabilities (MAC) test, a lip reading test and the Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile (GHABP) questionnaire when compared with the control group. No significant difference was found in speech test scores between the two groups. Conclusions: A short individualised auditory rehabilitation intervention programme can yield a significant improvement in the performance of hearing impaired adults by enhancing the benefits of hearing aid use.