The Hearing Intervention for the Aging and Cognitive Health Evaluation in Elders Randomized Control Trial: Manualization and Feasibility Study.
Victoria A Sanchez, Michelle L Arnold, Nicholas S Reed and 5 others
PMID 32251012WHAT IT FOUND
A manualized hearing intervention for older adults was feasible in a small study.
Participants improved their speech-in-noise scores and reduced perceived handicap. High visit completion and hearing aid use confirmed the protocol could be delivered within reasonable timeframes, though efficacy was not tested.
Key findings
01Participants showed significant improvement in speech recognition in noise and reduced self-perceived hearing handicap after the intervention.
02The intervention was feasible, with high visit completion rates and average hearing aid use of 7.8 hours per day.
03Feedback led to revisions in self-management materials and manual structure to better support person-centered care and health literacy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was a small, non-randomized feasibility trial with no control group, so improvements cannot be definitively attributed to the intervention rather than placebo or natural history. Participants were highly educated and cognitively intact, which may limit generalizability to populations with lower health literacy or cognitive impairment. Hearing aids and services were provided free of charge, which likely inflated compliance rates compared to standard clinical care. The study did not assess the primary outcome of interest for the larger trial (cognitive decline), only proximal hearing outcomes.
Declared interests
Hearing aids and assistive technologies were donated in kind by Phonak LLC and Starkey Inc. The authors received funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the clinical trial planning grant.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significant improvements in speech-in-noise and handicap scores as proof that this specific manualized protocol is superior to standard care. This was a single-group feasibility study without a control group, so the results reflect that the intervention can be delivered and accepted, not that it is more effective than other approaches.