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Clinically Implementing Online Hearing Support Within Hearing Organization

Primary Purpose

Hearing Impairment

Status
Completed
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Sweden
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Online hearing support
Standard care
Sponsored by
Sodra Alvsborgs Hospital
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional supportive care trial for Hearing Impairment focused on measuring audiologic rehabilitation, hearing loss, patient education, patient participation, structured rehabilitation, internet interventions, counseling

Eligibility Criteria

20 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • the hearing aid users to be 20 yr of age or above,
  • the hearing aid users to have completed a hearing aid fitting at least 3 months before the study began (regardless of hearing aid manufacturer, model, or hearing aid outcomes),
  • the hearing aid users to have a Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) score of >20 points (indicative of some residual self-reported hearing problems).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • the hearing aid users who are not fulfilling the conditions to participate.

Sites / Locations

  • Hearing Clinic, Hearing Organization

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Active Comparator

Arm Label

Online hearing support

Standard care

Arm Description

The intervention group will have access to online hearing support for five weeks. The online hearing support will include a program that consists of three elements: 1) reading material; 2) reading instructions and weekly assignments related to the reading material; and 3) online and telephone interaction with a professional.

The control group will have access to traditional support that the Hearing Organization provides ("standard care").

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Change is assessed for the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE)
The HHIE measures the experience of hearing loss in older people by focusing on the psychosocial and emotional effects of hearing loss. Higher score reflects a higher self-reported hearing problem. Minimum score for the total scale (reported) is 0 and maximum score is 100 points.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Change is assessed for the Communication Strategies Scale (CSS)
CSS (from the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired) The CSS is designed to analyze participants' behavior in various communication situations via three subscales: maladaptive behaviors (9 questions that analyze behaviors that hinder communication) and verbal strategies and nonverbal strategies (16 items related to strategies that can enhance communication). The 1 to 5 scoring reflects how frequently a specific situation or behavior occurs.

Full Information

First Posted
September 20, 2018
Last Updated
September 17, 2019
Sponsor
Sodra Alvsborgs Hospital
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT03687801
Brief Title
Clinically Implementing Online Hearing Support Within Hearing Organization
Official Title
Clinically Implementing Online Hearing Support
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
September 2019
Overall Recruitment Status
Completed
Study Start Date
September 24, 2018 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
August 16, 2019 (Actual)
Study Completion Date
August 16, 2019 (Actual)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Sodra Alvsborgs Hospital

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
No

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Previous research has proposed employing telehealth in hearing healthcare to improve clinical care and increase access to hearing services. Several studies have shown that hearing support can be carried out without in-person meetings and lead to significant benefits for hearing aid users. Interventions for persons with hearing impairment improve communication and improve outcomes more than hearing aid use alone. The first purpose of this study is needs-oriented and the second purpose is research-oriented. The needs-oriented purpose of this project is to, via a national website of health information and services for Sweden, provide needed online support to hearing aid users. The research-oriented purpose of this project is to document the effectiveness of the online support compared to traditional support that the Hearing Organization, provides ("standard care").
Detailed Description
Aural rehabilitation The most common approach to hearing impairment is hearing aid fitting as a part of aural rehabilitation (AR). In Sweden, approximately 50% of those who could benefit from hearing aids are fitted with them, and nearly half of those use their hearing aids to a considerable extent every day. Despite addressing the hearing impairment with hearing aids, many hearing aid users experience substantial communication difficulties that can affect their performance in daily life situations. This could cause patients to stop using their hearing aids, which may negatively affect their interpersonal interactions and involvement in community life. Adjusting to hearing impairment involves more than just hearing aid fitting, although hearing aid fitting is a step in the right direction. Additional steps within AR, such as learning about the condition and providing perceptual training and counseling, need to be included in order to minimize the negative effects of a hearing impairment on social interactions and quality of life. These additional steps can effectively be included variously throughout the AR (separately or in combination, and individually or in groups), they may increase hearing aid use and satisfaction, and can be performed as an adjunct to or a supplement for hearing aid fitting. However, even though combining these additional steps with hearing aid use has proven to be beneficial, most hearing aid users are unaware of and are not offered any other rehabilitation measures than hearing aid fitting. This deficiency could be due to clinicians experiencing lack of time and difficulties scheduling interventions in addition to hearing aid fitting. It could also be due to the presumably increased costs of adding extra support to hearing aid fitting. These aspects could hinder audiologist's in general clinical practice from providing holistic care. Thus, the overall availability of comprehensive AR is low. Internet interventions Online interventions and healthcare information is cost-effective. Online hearing healthcare has increased in recent years and is empowering for persons with hearing impairment. Telehealth (i.e., telephone and internet) offers a more cost-effective approach to hearing healthcare and increases the possibilities for the audiologist to reach out to persons with hearing impairment. Previous research has proposed employing telehealth in hearing healthcare to improve clinical care and increase access to hearing services. Effective internet interventions have four important interactive design features: 1) social context and support, 2) contacts with intervention, 3) tailoring, and 4) self-management. Patient participation is central for self-management to be successful. For example, a person with hearing impairment can apply knowledge obtained in communication training to reduce hearing-related problems. The role of the audiologist in delivering social contact and support, and contacts with the intervention, seems to be of particular importance in online audiology interventions. Purpose With this project we want to provide online support to hearing aid users. Further on, we want to document the effectiveness of the online support compared to traditional support that the Hearing Organization, VGR, provides ("standard care"). The needs-oriented purpose: The project is a part of a collaboration between 1177 Care-Guide and region Vastra Gotaland (VGR). 1177 Care-Guide is a national website of health information and services for Sweden. Every region customizes its 1177 Care-Guide. Regions use the 1177 Care-Guide platform to provide online services. The needs-oriented purpose of this project is to, via 1177, provide needed online support to hearing aid users. The research-oriented purpose of this project is to document the effectiveness of the online support compared to traditional support that the Hearing Organization, VGR, provides ("standard care"). Traditional support ("standard care") in Sweden differs across and within counties, in particular in terms of the number of visits and the content of comprehensive AR. The costs of amplification for the person with hearing impairment may also vary across counties.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Hearing Impairment
Keywords
audiologic rehabilitation, hearing loss, patient education, patient participation, structured rehabilitation, internet interventions, counseling

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Supportive Care
Study Phase
Not Applicable
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Masking
Participant
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
128 (Actual)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Online hearing support
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
The intervention group will have access to online hearing support for five weeks. The online hearing support will include a program that consists of three elements: 1) reading material; 2) reading instructions and weekly assignments related to the reading material; and 3) online and telephone interaction with a professional.
Arm Title
Standard care
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
The control group will have access to traditional support that the Hearing Organization provides ("standard care").
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Online hearing support
Intervention Description
The intervention group will follow an online hearing support for five weeks
Intervention Type
Behavioral
Intervention Name(s)
Standard care
Intervention Description
The control group will follow standard care during the time the intervention group receives online haring support
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Change is assessed for the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE)
Description
The HHIE measures the experience of hearing loss in older people by focusing on the psychosocial and emotional effects of hearing loss. Higher score reflects a higher self-reported hearing problem. Minimum score for the total scale (reported) is 0 and maximum score is 100 points.
Time Frame
change from baseline HHIE at 5 weeks, change from baseline HHIE at 6 months, change from baseline HHIE at 1 year
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Change is assessed for the Communication Strategies Scale (CSS)
Description
CSS (from the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired) The CSS is designed to analyze participants' behavior in various communication situations via three subscales: maladaptive behaviors (9 questions that analyze behaviors that hinder communication) and verbal strategies and nonverbal strategies (16 items related to strategies that can enhance communication). The 1 to 5 scoring reflects how frequently a specific situation or behavior occurs.
Time Frame
change from baseline CSS at 5 weeks, change from baseline CSS at 6 months, change from baseline CSS at 1 year

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
20 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: the hearing aid users to be 20 yr of age or above, the hearing aid users to have completed a hearing aid fitting at least 3 months before the study began (regardless of hearing aid manufacturer, model, or hearing aid outcomes), the hearing aid users to have a Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE) score of >20 points (indicative of some residual self-reported hearing problems). Exclusion Criteria: the hearing aid users who are not fulfilling the conditions to participate.
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Milijana Malmberg, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Hörselverksamheten, Habilitering & Hälsa
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Hearing Clinic, Hearing Organization
City
Boras
State/Province
Vastra Gotalandsregion
ZIP/Postal Code
501 82
Country
Sweden

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No

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Clinically Implementing Online Hearing Support Within Hearing Organization

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