IHS Verification and Validation Methods 5

Question 1

Which probe microphone measurement best isolates the contribution of the hearing aid alone, excluding the effects of the ear canal?

Accepted Answer

REIG (Real-Ear Insertion Gain)

Answer

REIG is calculated as REAR minus REUG, isolating the gain added by the hearing aid itself while factoring out the natural ear canal resonance.

Question 2

A 70-year-old patient scores 60% on word recognition testing unaided. After fitting, the aided score is 62%. How should this result be interpreted?

Accepted Answer

The improvement is likely within test-retest variability and may not represent true benefit

Answer

A 2% difference in word recognition score falls within typical test-retest variability (±10–15%), so this does not reliably indicate meaningful aided benefit.

Question 3

Which of the following is the BEST reason to use a live speech mapping approach during real-ear measurement?

Accepted Answer

It allows the patient to see and hear how their voice and surrounding sounds are amplified in real time, enhancing counseling

Answer

Live speech mapping engages the patient visually and auditorily during the measurement, making the fitting process more transparent and improving counseling effectiveness.

Question 4

When a hearing aid is set to an output exceeding a patient's uncomfortable loudness level (UCL), what is the primary risk?

Accepted Answer

The patient may experience loudness discomfort, pain, or rejection of the hearing aid

Answer

If maximum output exceeds the UCL, patients will experience sounds as uncomfortably loud, leading to rejection of the hearing aid and reduced compliance.

Question 5

What is the purpose of measuring the REUG (Real-Ear Unaided Gain) before inserting the hearing aid?

Accepted Answer

To establish the natural resonance of the open ear canal as a baseline for calculating insertion gain

Answer

The REUG captures the natural ear canal resonance (typically peaking around 2700 Hz), which is used as the baseline to calculate how much gain the hearing aid actually inserts.

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test

IHS Verification and Validation Methods 5