Barriers and Facilitators to OTC Hearing Aids Success
Yu-Hsiang Wu
Summary
Hearing aids can improve hearing, communication, and overall quality of life for people with hearing loss. However, not many people use hearing aids. A common reason is that hearing aids are expensive and hard to get. The traditional way to get hearing aids involves multiple visits to licensed audiologists for identifying hearing loss, customizing the aids, and ongoing maintenance. This traditional method is called the AUD pathway. Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids offer a different approach. They aim to make hearing aids more affordable and accessible, encouraging earlier use. In the OTC pathway, users diagnose their own hearing loss and fit and program the hearing aids themselves. Little is known about long-term effects of OTC hearing aids on users. This study aims to compare the experiences of people who choose the OTC pathway with those who choose the AUD pathway. It takes place in two locations: Iowa City, IA, and Nashville, TN. Participants, who have mild-to-moderate hearing loss, choose their preferred pathway and are followed for 12 months. In the OTC pathway, participants buy their hearing aids directly from OTC companies or retailers. In the AUD pathway, prescription hearing aids and fitting services are provided by audiology clinics at the University of Iowa and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Participants are contacted 1, 6, and 12 months after starting to use their hearing aids. Researchers measure their satisfaction about hearing aids and other outcomes. If participants stop using their hearing aids, researchers assess their engagement with post-amplification hearing care. The results from both pathways are then compared.
Description
Although hearing aids (HAs) can improve hearing ability, communication, social and emotional function, and quality of life for people with hearing loss, the adoption rate of HAs is low. A commonly reported barrier to HA uptake is that HAs are not affordable or accessible under the traditional service delivery model, which requires multiple visits to licensed audiologists for identification of hearing loss, customization of the HAs, and continual maintenance and fine-tuning. This hearing healthcare pathway is referred to as the AUD pathway. As an alternative, over-the-counter (OTC) HAs aim to p…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * adult-onset, perceived bilateral mild-to-moderate hearing loss * no previous hearing aid experience Exclusion Criteria: * Non-native speaker of English
Interventions
- DeviceAudiologist-based fitting
Description hearing aids will be fitted by audiologists using established procedures.
- DeviceOver-the-counter fitting
In this group, over-the-counter hearing aids will be used by subjects. Subjects will take the full initiative and responsibility for learning and using hearing aids.
Locations (2)
- University of IowaIowa City, Iowa
- Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Tennessee