Hearing Loss
Conditions
Keywords
Hearing Screening, Auditory Rehabilitation
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to see if a newly developed program called I Manage my hearing loss (iManage) will increase the number of individuals who visit an audiologist after failing a hearing screening. The iManage program will educate individuals about hearing loss, demonstrate that hearing problems are important, demonstrate that support from family and friends is important and help participants identify the benefits and concerns related to seeking help for hearing loss.
Interventions
OTHERiManage (my hearing loss)
An internet-based decision coaching guide to help an individual decide if they wish to visit an audiologist.
Sponsors
William Demant Foundation (Formerly known as the Oticon Foundation)
University of Louisville
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
45 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Subject must fail a hearing screening (any threshold \>34 decibels hearing level at 2000 or 3000 Hertz in either ear) or show equivalent or greater degree of hearing loss on most recent audiogram. * Free of obvious outer or middle ear disease (as measured by otoscopy) * Between the ages of 45 and 85 * Pass a health literacy screening * Pass a thinking skills screening
Exclusion criteria
* Experience seeing an audiologist for a hearing evaluation or management * Experience using a hearing aid
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Audiologist visit | 6 months following the failed hearing screening | The percentage of individuals who visit an audiologist for a comprehensive hearing evaluation. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change on the Health Belief Questionnaire, a survey that measures attitudes about the 6 constructs of the Health Belief Model as related to seeking hearing healthcare | Baseline (within one week of screening) and 6 months post baseline | Mean score (which can range between 1 and 11) on each of 6 scales: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, perceived self-efficacy, and cues to action. A higher score indicates greater agreement with the construct. |
| Change on the Readiness for Change Questionnaire, a single-item questionnaire that attempts to place the participant on a continuum regarding readiness for hearing healthcare as outline by the Transtheoretical Model. | Baseline, 4 weeks post baseline, and 6 months post baseline | Participants will select the statement that best describes their view of their hearing status, 1 indicates precontemplation, 2 indicates contemplation, 3 indicates, preparation, 4 indicates action on the Transtheoretical Model Continuum. |
| Total score on the Hearing Loss Support Scale, a questionnaire that measures self-perceived informational and emotional support from family, peers, and healthcare providers about managing hearing loss. | Baseline, and 6 months post baseline | Total score can range between 7 and 49, with a higher score indicating greater support from others. |
Other
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Program uptake | 3 months following the failed hearing screening | Percentage of experimental participants who begin the iManage program |
| Program completion | 3 months following the failed hearing screening | Percentage of experimental participants who complete the iManage program |
| Mean scores on the Audiology Decision Making Scale, a scale designed to measure preparedness for decision making for 13 specific decision processes | 4 weeks after completion of iManage Program | Mean score can range between 1 and 5 with higher scores indicating greater self-perceived usefulness of the iManage Program in making a decision about hearing healthcare. |
| A focus group of individuals who completed the iManage program to learn participants perceptions about the content, benefits and drawbacks of the iManage program | 6 to 8 weeks after completion of iManage Program | Qualitative thematic analysis will indicate common attitudes (themes) about the iManage program |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed