Seeking the Secrets of Satisfaction Robyn Cox Although the importance of hearing aid satisfaction has been appreciated from a marketing point of view for many years, it has not received much attention from researchers. However, as health care becomes more consumer-oriented, hearing aid practitioners are realizing that outcomes reported by the hearing aid wearer provide a unique perspective on the hearing aid fitting that cannot be obtained using any other type of test. We propose that when the overall outcome of amplification provision from the client's point of view is of interest, satisfaction is the most important variable to measure. Accordingly, we have developed the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) Scale to address the need for a standardized, clinically-useful approach to quantifying both overall satisfaction and reasons for dissatisfaction. The SADL is composed of 15 items and generates four sub-scale scores and an overall score. Consultations with hearing aid consumers were a primary factor in shaping the scale by determining which areas were most important to satisfaction in everyday life. This talk will describe the development of the SADL and will describe additional studies of the validity of the scale. Real examples will be presented to demonstrate the potential application of the scores. (Supported by US Department of Veterans Affairs, RR&D Service) |