PURPOSES: to check the routine of procedures used with patients which were candidates to using hearing aid, in Hearing Centers in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil. METHODS: 14 Hearing Centers took part in the study, through a questionnaire which was filled in by the Speech Therapist incumbent upon the Center. RESULTS: the results we've found have shown that the sole procedures used in 100% of the Hearing Centers were the threshold tonal audiometry, the otoscopy and the pre-molding. As for the most indicated types of hearing aids, as well as auricular molds and technology, they were retroauricular, simple, invisible and digital, respectively. In the adaptation, the most common age went from 60 to 79 years, the kind of adaptation was monoaural, and most Hearing Centers make usage orientation, post-acquisition follow-up and prior home experience. CONCLUSION: the results have shown that there were no divergences among the examined Hearing Centers, however some procedures would have significant importance for the selection process of hearing aids, as they would contribute for the success of an effective hearing aid fitting.
Hearing Loss; Presbycusis; Hearing Aids
