Comparison of Performance with Hearing Aid programmed to First-Fit and Optimized Fit

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to evaluate the impact of manufacturer first-fit (FF) vs. optimized-fit (OF) hearing aid conditions on the real-ear aided response (REAR), aided thresholds, speech identification scores (SIS) in quiet, and signal-to-noise ratio at 50% speech intelligibility (SNR-50) among adults with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

METHODS: Participants included 15 adults aged 29-49 years with no prior hearing aid experience. The study utilized a 16-channel non-linear digital behind-the-ear hearing aid, programmed to FF and optimized NAL-NL2 targets.

RESULTS: Significantly lower REAR and aided thresholds were observed in the FF condition across frequencies, particularly for soft and moderate input levels. The OF condition showed superior SIS in quiet and SNR-50, indicating improved speech recognition in quiet and noisy conditions.

CONCLUSION: Findings emphasize the need to use RE measures for hearing aid verification to achieve better auditory outcomes and enhance user satisfaction. This strengthens evidence-based practices in audiology for optimizing hearing aid performance and the quality of life of individuals with hearing loss.

Cite this article as: Sanjay S, Vinod V, Manjula P. Comparison of performance with hearing aid programmed to first-fit and optimized fit. J Int Adv Otol. 2025, 21(3), 1730, doi: 10.5152/iao.2025.241730.