Feasibility of a Smartphone-Based Hearing Aid App for Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss: Prospective Multicenter...

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Hearing Science

Background:

• Hearing loss is a global health issue, with hearing aids (HAs) being the primary treatment.
• Barriers to HA use include cost, stigma, and accessibility.
• Smartphone-based HA apps (SHAAs) offer an affordable alternative, but their audiological benefits require evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the audiological performance of a smartphone-based HA app (SHAA) against a conventional HA.
• To assess subjective satisfaction and audiological outcomes in individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing loss.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted.
• Participants used both an SHAA and a conventional HA in a crossover design.
• Audiological tests included hearing tests, real-ear measurements, hearing-in-noise tests (HINT), and subjective questionnaires (APHAB, IOI-HA).

Main Results:

• Conventional HAs demonstrated superior audiological performance compared to SHAAs, particularly in word recognition and noisy conditions (HINT).
• SHAAs provided significant amplification benefits over unaided hearing, especially for soft sounds in quiet environments.
• Subjective satisfaction scores (IOI-HA) improved with both devices, and a subset of SHAA users reported benefits on the APHAB questionnaire.

Conclusions:

• Conventional HAs outperform SHAAs in crucial areas like word recognition and hearing in noise.
• SHAAs show potential as a hearing assistance device for specific situations, such as amplifying soft sounds in quiet settings.
• Further advancements in SHAA signal processing technology are necessary to enhance mid-to-high frequency sound quality and performance in noisy environments.