Consumer and audiologist perspectives on hearables: a qualitative study.

Objective: We aimed to explore (i) what adults with hearing difficulties want and need from hearables, which we defined as any non-medical personal sound amplification product, and (ii) what hearing care professionals think about hearables.

Design: This was an exploratory, qualitative study conducted using separate focus groups with adults with hearing difficulties and audiologists. Data were analysed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis.

What's in a name? A systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness of non-medical amplification devices in adults with mild and moderate hearing losses.

Objective: To assess non-medical amplification devices in adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, and the impact of device features on outcomes.

Design: A prospectively registered systematic review.

Study Sample: Ten studies evaluating personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), and four evaluating smartphone amplification applications (or apps).

Clinical Assessment Tools for the Detection of Cognitive Impairment and Hearing Loss in the Ageing Population: A Scoping Review.

Objective: There is a strong association between cognitive impairment and hearing loss, both highly prevalent in the ageing population. Early detection of both hearing loss and cognitive impairment is essential in the management of these conditions to ensure effective and informed decisions on healthcare. The main objective was to identify existing and emerging cognitive and auditory assessment tools used in clinical settings (eg, memory clinics, audiology clinics), which manage the ageing population.

Remote Technologies to Enhance Service Delivery for Adults: Clinical Research Perspectives.

There are many examples of remote technologies that are clinically effective and provide numerous benefits to adults with hearing loss. Despite this, the uptake of remote technologies for hearing healthcare has been both low and slow until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been a key driver for change globally. The time is now right to take advantage of the many benefits that remote technologies offer, through clinical, consumer, or hybrid services and channels.

A qualitative study showing that a telecare tool can have benefits before and during the initial hearing assessment appointment.

Objective: To examine patient and audiologist experiences and perspectives of using a patient-centred telecare tool, the Ida Institute's Why Improve My Hearing? (WIMH) Tool, before and during the initial hearing assessment appointment.

Design: A qualitative study comprising individual semi-structured interviews using a maximum variation sampling strategy. The data were analysed using an established thematic analysis technique.

Evaluation of home-delivered live-voice auditory training for adult hearing aid users involving their communication partners: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To examine the benefits of home-delivered auditory training for adult hearing aid users using live-voice conversations in the presence of a single-talker distractor (experimental group) or in quiet (active-control group).

Design: Randomised controlled trial. The experimental group held conversations with their nominated communication partner in the presence of a single-talker distractor set to a challenging level, 30 min/day, 5 days/week over 4 weeks.

Smartphone-Connected Hearing Aids Enable and Empower Self-Management of Hearing Loss: A Qualitative Interview Study Underpinned by the Behavior Change Wheel.

Objectives: To identify patient-reported barriers and facilitators to using smartphone-connected hearing aids, using the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) to understand experiences and how these can be addressed.

Design: A single-center, prospective, observational study. Eight hearing aid users (new = 1, existing = 7; mean age = 71.

Consensus on connected hearing health technologies and service delivery models in the UK: a Delphi review.

Objective: To develop a consensus among hearing healthcare professionals in the UK on connected hearing health technologies and service delivery models.

Design: A three-round, electronic Delphi review was developed using a participatory-design approach. This included ten open-ended questions (round one) that informed 69 Likert-scaled statements (rounds two and three).

The feasibility of an m-health educational programme (m2Hear) to improve outcomes in first-time hearing aid users.

Objective: To (i) assess the delivery, accessibility, usability, acceptability, and adherence, and (ii) identify suitable outcome measures, for a mobile-enhanced multimedia educational programme (m2Hear) in first-time hearing aid users.

Design: A prospective, single-centre feasibility study.

Study Sample: First-time hearing aid users (n = 59), recruited at their initial hearing assessment.

Evaluating a Theoretically Informed and Cocreated Mobile Health Educational Intervention for First-Time Hearing Aid Users: Qualitative Interview Study.

Background: Adults living with hearing loss have highly variable knowledge of hearing aids, resulting in suboptimal use or nonuse. This issue can be addressed by the provision of high-quality educational resources.

Objective: This study aims to assess the everyday experiences of first-time hearing aid users when using a newly developed, theoretically informed cocreated mobile health (mHealth) educational intervention called m2Hear.

The development of an mHealth educational intervention for first-time hearing aid users: combining theoretical and ecologically valid approaches.

This paper describes the development of a novel mobile health (mHealth) educational intervention, called m2Hear, designed for first-time hearing aid users based on previously developed educational multimedia videos, or reusable learning objects (RLOs), branded C2Hear. The development of m2Hear used theoretical and ecologically valid approaches. The COM-B model and associated Theoretical Domains Framework were employed to identify specific components (or "active ingredients") of the original RLOs that facilitate hearing aid use.

Application of Rasch Analysis to the Evaluation of the Measurement Properties of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly.

Objectives: The aim of this research was to evaluate the measurement properties of the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE). The HHIE is one of the most widely used patient-reported outcome measures in audiology. It was originally developed in the United States in the 1980s as a measure of the social and emotional impact of hearing loss in older adults.

Effects of Cognitive Load on Pure-Tone Audiometry Thresholds in Younger and Older Adults.

Objectives: Cognitive load (CL) impairs listeners' ability to comprehend sentences, recognize words, and identify speech sounds. Recent findings suggest that this effect originates in a disruption of low-level perception of acoustic details. Here, we attempted to quantify such a disruption by measuring the effect of CL (a two-back task) on pure-tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds.

Minimal and Mild Hearing Loss in Children: Association with Auditory Perception, Cognition, and Communication Problems.

Objectives: "Minimal" and "mild" hearing loss are the most common but least understood forms of hearing loss in children. Children with better ear hearing level as low as 30 dB HL have a global language impairment and, according to the World Health Organization, a "disabling level of hearing loss." We examined in a population of 6- to 11-year-olds how hearing level ≤40.

Applying the COM-B Model to Assess the Usability of Smartphone-Connected Listening Devices in Adults with Hearing Loss.

Background: Unlike conventional hearing aids, smartphone-connected listening devices may require limited or no input from a trained audiologist in terms of device programming and adjustment. However, there is a lack of peer-reviewed evidence assessing the real-world perspectives of people living with hearing loss toward such technological innovations.

Purpose: This study assessed the everyday experiences of adults living with hearing loss toward a range of smartphone-connected listening devices using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, Behaviour (COM-B) model as a theoretical framework.

A simple method to estimate noise levels in the workplace based on self-reported speech communication effort in noise.

To validate a method using self-reported speech communication effort in noise to estimate occupational noise levels by comparing with measured noise levels. A comparative observational study. Reported vocal effort to communicate with a person at a distance of 1.

A systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the effectiveness of alternative listening devices to conventional hearing aids in adults with hearing loss.

Recent technological advances have led to a rapid increase in alternative listening devices to conventional hearing aids. The aim was to systematically review the existing evidence to assess the effectiveness of alternative listening devices in adults with mild and moderate hearing loss. A systematic search strategy of the scientific literature was employed, reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) checklist.

Auditory and Cognitive Training for Cognition in Adults With Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy of auditory training and cognitive training to improve cognitive function in adults with hearing loss. A literature search of academic databases (e.g.

Development of the Social Participation Restrictions Questionnaire (SPaRQ) through consultation with adults with hearing loss, researchers, and clinicians: a content evaluation study.

Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the content of the Social Participation Restrictions Questionnaire (SPaRQ) in terms of its relevance, clarity, comprehensiveness, acceptability to adults with hearing loss, and responsiveness.

Design: Cognitive interviews and a subject matter expert survey were conducted. The interview data were analysed using thematic analysis and a taxonomy of questionnaire clarity problems.

Refinement and Validation of the Social Participation Restrictions Questionnaire: An Application of Rasch Analysis and Traditional Psychometric Analysis Techniques.

Objectives: The primary aim of this research was to refine and validate the Social Participation Restrictions Questionnaire (SPaRQ). The SPaRQ is a hearing-specific, patient-reported outcome measure that was originally developed through consultation with adults with hearing loss, clinicians, and researchers. This research comprised two studies.

Hearing Aids and Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults With Hearing Loss.

Clinical Question: Are hearing aids associated with improved health-related quality of life in adults with mild to moderate hearing loss?

Bottom Line: Compared with no hearing aids, the provision of hearing aids was associated with improvements in hearing-specific and general health-related quality of life.

Hearing aids for mild to moderate hearing loss in adults.

Background: The main clinical intervention for mild to moderate hearing loss is the provision of hearing aids. These are routinely offered and fitted to those who seek help for hearing difficulties. By amplifying and improving access to sounds, and speech sounds in particular, the aim of hearing aid use is to reduce the negative consequences of hearing loss and improve participation in everyday life.

Coping together with hearing loss: a qualitative meta-synthesis of the psychosocial experiences of people with hearing loss and their communication partners.

Objective: To examine the psychosocial experiences of hearing loss from the perspectives of both the person with hearing loss and their communication partner.

Design: A meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature.

Study Sample: From 880 records, 12 qualitative papers met the inclusion criteria, (i) adults with hearing loss, communication partners, or both, and (ii) explored psychosocial issues.

Effectiveness of alternative listening devices to conventional hearing aids for adults with hearing loss: a systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Hearing loss is a major public health concern, affecting over 11 million people in the UK. While hearing aids are the most common clinical intervention for hearing loss, the majority of people that would benefit from using hearing aids do not take them up. Recent technological advances have led to a rapid increase of alternative listening devices to conventional hearing aids.