TAG

Hearing Aid Users

and Mobile Telephones

Questionnaire

A survey by Hearing Concern and the Telecommunications Action Group

About this survey

There have been recent reports that some hearing aid users find it difficult or impossible to use digital mobile phones, although the older analogue mobile phones do not appear to pose any problems. Through this survey, Hearing Concern and the Telecommunications Action Group (TAG) are trying to find out the extent of the problem so that action, if needed, can be taken.

Who should complete the questionnaire? If you are a hearing aid wearer, we want to know about your experiences with mobile phones.

How to return it? Please complete the questionnaire and return it to this Freepost address (no stamp needed):

TAG Mobile Phone Survey, FREEPOST (RG3555), Kingsclere

Berkshire RG20 5ZZ

It's confidential. Your answers will be treated in strict confidence and your name will not be made available to any other organisation.

If you want to tell us more about your experiences of mobile phones, please do not hesitate to do so on a separate sheet.

To receive more Information on mobile phones, please tick the box at the end of the questionnaire. By ticking the box you will receive general information about mobile phones and hearing aids and you will not find yourself on a commercial mailing list.

Please pass this questionnaire around! Feel free to make copies of this blank questionnaire to give to other hearing aid users who may have had experience of using mobile phones - the more replies we receive, the more useful the survey will be.

Thank you very much for your help.

PART A About your hearing aid(s)

Do you usually wear a hearing aid in one or both ears? One Both

What is the make and model of your hearing aid?

(eg give name and model - if they are different, please give details of both)

Type in the ear behind the ear other

Make ……………………………………………….

Model …………………………………………………………………………………………

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Does your hearing aid have a T-switch? Yes No Don't know

Have you used a mobile phone? Frequently Occasionally Never

If Frequently ………. go to Part B

If Occasionally ……. go to Part C

If Never ……………... go to Part D

PART B For people who frequently use a mobile phone

Do you use a mobile phone for social and domestic purposes? Yes No

Do you use a mobile phone for work purposes? Yes No

Is the mobile phone analogue or digital? Analogue Digital Don’t know

What is the make of the phone? …………………………………………………

What is the name of the system? (eg Cellnet) ……………………………………………...

Is this an office system? ………………………………………………….

Does it have any special adaptations? (eg special earpiece) Yes No

Please give its name or describe ……………………………………………………………..

How well can you hear on the mobile phone?

very clearly satisfactorily with difficulty

Do you hear any buzzing or electrical interference noises while using the mobile phone?

A lot some a little none

If you do hear a noise, please describe it (eg is it loud, is it continuous, does it always happen?)

....................................................................................................................................................

Does this noise cause you any discomfort? Yes, a lot Yes, a little No

If yes, please describe the sensation

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If the mobile phone you regularly use is analogue but you have also used a digital phone, please also answer Part C

PART C For people who occasionally use a mobile phone

Is the mobile phone you have used occasionally analogue or digital?

Analogue Digital Both types Don't Know

What was the make of the phone? ............................…….

What was the name of the system? (eg Cellnet) ………………………………………………..

How well could you hear on the mobile phone?

very clearly satisfactorily with difficulty not at all

Did you hear any buzzing or electrical interference noises while using the mobile phone?

a lot some a little none

If there was noise, please describe it (eg is it loud, is it continuous, does it always happen?)

....................................................................................................................................................

Did this noise cause you any discomfort?

a lot some a little none

If yes, please describe the sensation

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PART D Mobile phones - general

Have you received any information about using mobile phones with a hearing aid?

Yes No

If yes, who gave you the information? ………………………………………………………

Briefly, what was the information?

......................................................................................................................................

Was the information useful? ……………………………………………………………………

Have you been discouraged from using a mobile telephone because you expected to have problems

with it not working with your hearing aid? Yes No

Have you heard any unusual noises (such as electrical interference) whilst standing close to someone

else using a mobile phone? Yes No

If yes, please describe what happened (eg how close were you to the mobile phone users, did you hear any strange noises, if so how loud were they and what did they sound like?)

................................................................................................................................................

PART E Using an ordinary telephone at home or work

Do you use a (non-mobile) telephone at home or at work?

At home Yes No

At work Yes No

When using the non-mobile telephone, do you usually use the "T" switch on your hearing aid?

Yes No

Do you usually have to adjust the volume of your hearing aid to use the telephone?

Yes No

How well do you hear on the telephone WITHOUT using the T switch?

Very clearly satisfactorily with difficulty not at all

How well do you hear on the telephone WITH the T switch on?

Very clearly satisfactorily with difficulty not at all

How well do you hear on the telephone WITHOUT your hearing aid?

Very clearly satisfactorily with difficulty not at all

What is the make and model of your telephone at home and/or at work?

Name Model or any other details if not known

At home …………………… ……………………………………………………………………

At work …………………... ……………………………………………………………………

Does your home telephone work with the T switch on your hearing aid?

Yes No Don’t know

Does your home telephone have additional amplification?

Yes No Don’t know

Does your work telephone work with the T switch on your hearing aid?

Yes No Don’t know

Does your work telephone have additional amplification? Yes No Don’t know

PART F About yourself

Are you Male Female

Age Group 18 to 29 30 to 39 40 to 49 50 to 59

60 to 64 65 to 75 over 75

Employment status in full-time employment self employed

in part-time employment unemployed

semi-retired retired

homemaker

Name ……………………………………………………………………………

Your address ……………………………………………………………………………

.......................................................................................................

Telephone ……………………………………………………………………………..

Would you like us to send you a short article and perhaps other information on mobile phones and hearing aids? Yes No

Can we contact you if we want to follow-up any information? Yes No

Do you have any other comments to add? (continue on a separate sheet if necessary)

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