Russian Scientists Develop Mathematical Model to Predict Hearing Aid Effectiveness
The new tool could make it easier to match hearing aids to each patient’s unique cognitive and auditory profile
Researchers from Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University “LETI”, Saint Petersburg State University, and the Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University have created a mathematical model for automated prediction of hearing aid performance, according to TASS.
The challenge, the scientists explained, is that patients with similar levels of hearing loss often understand speech very differently due to individual cognitive factors. Traditional clinical methods don’t fully account for these variations, making it difficult to select the most effective hearing aid.
A New Step in Differential Diagnosis
The researchers applied the Bayesian network to predict speech test results solely from audiometric data. By comparing the predicted and actual outcomes, the model calculates a compensation index that reflects the efficiency of central auditory and cognitive mechanisms.
The study involved 513 participants aged 19 to 93, including 403 hearing aid users. According to Markelov, the approach could redefine differential diagnosis in hearing and speech perception disorders, helping clinicians make more informed hearing aid selections and improving patients’ quality of life.
