Measuring hearing aid benefit using a willingness-to-pay approach

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Hearing Science
• Health Economics

Background:

• Self-perceived hearing aid benefit is crucial for user satisfaction.
• Quantifying this benefit monetarily can inform healthcare decisions and product development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the value of self-perceived hearing aid benefit using a willingness-to-pay (WTP) approach.
• To identify predictors of WTP for hearing aids among veterans.

Main Methods:

• Collected Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) data from 79 veterans.
• Administered a willingness-to-pay (WTP) survey alongside APHAB.
• Utilized multiple regression analysis to determine the relationship between APHAB scores, income, and WTP.

Main Results:

• Each 1-point increase in global APHAB benefit correlated with a $22.06 higher WTP.
• Ease of Communication, Background Noise, and Reverberation subscales significantly predicted WTP.
• Higher perceived benefit in communication and reduced sound aversiveness increased WTP, while income also played a role.

Conclusions:

• Willingness-to-pay (WTP) is a valid and significant measure for quantifying self-perceived hearing aid benefit.
• Specific APHAB subscale scores are key drivers of WTP, highlighting areas for audiological improvement.
• Findings support the use of WTP in evaluating hearing aid value and informing clinical practice.