NCT03511417

The Effectiveness of Over the Counter Hearing Products for Middle-Aged Adults

Aging and Speech Perception in Complex Listening Environments

• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 0 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Massachusetts, Amherst · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 40 Years – 64 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The investigators will examine the effectiveness of selected over-the-counter personal sound amplifiers in addressing functional hearing problems in middle-aged listeners with mild hearing loss. Many people are unlikely to pay several thousand dollars for hearing aids but they likely would be more willing to try a possible solution that is less expensive. When faced with counseling these individuals, audiologists are at a loss regarding whether or not to suggest that they try this type of technology, since there is virtually no research available to verify that these devices actually are helpful, particularly for individuals with mild hearing loss. The hypothesis being tested is that personal sound amplifiers can improve functional hearing and decrease cognitive load in complex auditory environments.

Detailed description

The field trials in this project will require you to use OTC hearing devices for a specified period of time in both ears simultaneously, and in just one ear, with periodic lab-based re-evaluation. Each field trial will continue until asymptotic performance is identified (up to a maximum of 12 weeks). You will return to the lab for assessment every 2 weeks. During each visit, speech perception and subjective listening effort will be assessed. Depending upon the specific field trial, the investigators also will complete measures of cognitive load (via dual-task paradigms), spatial release from masking, and localization ability during each lab visit.

Conditions

• Hearing Loss, Functional

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	over-the-counter hearing device	Individuals will use commercially-available over-the-counter hearing devices for specified periods of time.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-10-16
• Primary completion: 2020-01-17
• Completion: 2020-01-17
• First posted: 2018-04-27
• Last updated: 2021-10-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States