Long-term effectiveness of screening for hearing loss: the screening for auditory impairment--which hearing assessment test (SAI-WHAT) randomized trial.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of hearing screening on long-term hearing outcomes in a general population of older veterans.

Design: Hearing loss in the elderly is underdetected and undertreated. Routine hearing screening has been proposed, but it is not clear whether screening identifies patients who are sufficiently motivated to adhere to treatment.

Randomized clinical trial: group counseling based on tinnitus retraining therapy.

The main component of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is structured counseling. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to test the hypothesis that group educational counseling based on TRT principles would effectively treat veterans who have clinically significant tinnitus. Veterans with clinically significant tinnitus were randomized into one of three groups: educational counseling, traditional support, and no treatment.

Screening for Auditory Impairment-Which Hearing Assessment Test (SAI-WHAT): RCT design and baseline characteristics.

Background: Effective screening programs should not merely detect presence of disease, but also lead to long-term benefit. We describe the rationale and design of the first randomized clinical trial to study the long-term effects of routine screening for hearing loss. We also describe the baseline characteristics of the randomized cohort.

Clinical management of tinnitus using a "progressive intervention" approach.

Chronic tinnitus is experienced by 10%-15% of the population, of which only about 20% require clinical intervention. People requiring intervention have different levels of need, ranging from the provision of basic information to long-term, individualized treatment. We address this clinical need by outlining a five-level "progressive intervention" approach to the management of tinnitus that would provide a systematic framework for treatment by audiologists.

Development and validation of the effectiveness of [corrected] auditory rehabilitation scale.

Objective: To develop a new scale of hearing-related function and quality of life in patients with hearing aids that addresses overlooked concerns, such as hearing-aid comfort, convenience, and cosmetic appearance, that may influence hearing-aid adherence while maintaining brevity and sensitivity to clinical change.

Design: Prospective, multicenter instrument validation.

Setting: Four diverse sites in Washington State, including 2 private practices, 1 university setting, and 1 Veterans Affairs hospital.