NCT03674086

Evaluation of the eAdjust Application

Evaluation of the eAdjust Application to Provide Benefits in Users of Smartphone-connected Hearing Aids

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 46 (actual)
• Sponsor: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Despite being effective, the majority of people who would benefit from using hearing aids do not access them. For those who do obtain hearing aids, around 20% do not wear them regularly. People often do not use their hearing aids because they continue to experience difficulties when listening to and understanding speech in noisy situations. Conventional hearing aids must be programmed and adjusted by a trained audiologist with specialist equipment and therefore provide limited user-control over the hearing aid's functionality. In comparison to conventional hearing aids, Smartphone-connected hearing aids enable patients to adjust their programmes themselves in different situations using a Smartphone application. Smartphone-connectivity can supplement clinical practices, as patients can adjust their hearing aids without the need to visit the clinic. This has the potential to empower patients to be actively involved in their own hearing healthcare. A systematic review assessing the effectiveness of alternative listening devices showed that there is no published high-quality research assessing the clinical effectiveness of Smartphone-connected hearing aids. Furthermore, a usability research study has shown that patients want to personalise and adjust their own HA programmes to meet their individual needs. Having carried out the early development work, the next step would be to carry out a study to evaluate smartphone-connected hearing aids, in accordance with the MRC guidelines on developing and evaluating complex interventions. This study will assess the benefits of a smartphone application, eAdjust that has been developed for use with Phonak Audeo B90-Direct hearing aids. The eAdjust app connects to the hearing aid via Bluetooth, and enables hearing aid users to fine-tune their hearing aids via their smartphone. The benefits of the eAdjust app will be assessed in the real-world as well as in the laboratory. A mixed methods approach will be taken, using both behavioural and patient reported outcomes.

Conditions

• Hearing Loss, Bilateral
• Hearing Loss, Sensorineural

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	eAdjust 0.2 hearing aid smartphone application (or app)	The app connects to the Audeo B-90 Direct hearing aids via Bluetooth. The intended use for the app to enable hearing aid users to fine-tune their hearing aids. The app contains a series of sound modifiers, factory presets, sound modifier presets.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-08-23
• Primary completion: 2018-12-14
• Completion: 2019-04-30
• First posted: 2018-09-17
• Last updated: 2020-02-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom