Long-term benefits comparable for self-fit OTC hearing aids versus audiologist-fit hearing aids<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, July 17, 2024 (HealthDay News) — For individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing loss, self-fit over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids offer comparable long-term benefits to audiologist-fit hearing aids, according to a study published online July 11 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery<\/em>.<\/p>\n Karina C. De Sousa, Ph.D., from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and colleagues compared long-term self-reported outcomes at eight months of self-fit OTC hearing aids to the same hearing aids fit by audiologists in a follow-up comparative effectiveness research study. Overall, 44 of the 64 participants in the original trial were included in this extension study.<\/p>\n The researchers found that at long-term follow-up, there were no significant differences in the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) global score or the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) total score between the self-fit and audiologist-fit groups. No clinically meaningful group-time interaction was observed between the groups for the APHAB global score from six weeks to eight months, but there was a significant interaction for the IOI-HA total score (Cohen d<\/em>, \u00e2\u0088\u00920.6), with generally better performance seen for the self-fit group.<\/p>\n “Given the low uptake and use of hearing aids, even among those with adequate access to audiological resources, these results are promising for persons with mild-to-moderate hearing loss seeking more accessible and affordable hearing care,” the authors write.<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed ties to hearX Group, which partially funded the study. Funding was also provided by R21\/R33 mobile technologies.<\/p>\n