Improving Access and Affordability of Adult Hearing Healthcare: Effectiveness of Community-based Interventions in West Central and South Alabama

Summary

This project will address quality of care issues associated with hearing loss in adults who have mild-to-moderate hearing loss and who have no access to hearing healthcare. Through the use of three different interventions involving over-the-counter hearing aids, it will lead to options that will increase access and affordability of hearing healthcare for adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

Description

Eligibility

Age range

40+ years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Interventions

• Behavioral
  Hearing Evaluation

  Behavioral thresholds for pure tones will be conducted along with speech perception measures.

• Device
  Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid (OTC HA) Fitting and Orientation

  Study participants will be fitted with binaural OTC HAs in addition to receiving information on how to use and care for their devices.

• Behavioral
  Four Weeks of Aural Rehabilitation

  Participants will receive four weeks of information sessions to help them adjust to their over-the-counter hearing aid and their hearing loss.

• Device
  Provision of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids

  Study participants will receive binaural OTC HAs. Participants will fit their OTC HAs based on manufacturer guidelines without the help of an audiologist.

Location