Effects of Consumer versus Professional Earmold Impression-Taking on Custom Hearing Protection Device Attenuation

Background: Consumers frequently use the internet for both health care information as well as the purchase of health care supplies such as custom hearing protection devices (HPDs). These HPDs are often cast from impressions made by consumers using do-it-yourself home ear impression kits. Although not required by law, earmold impressions have typically been taken by audiologists formally trained in the procedures and safety measures of effective earmold impression-taking.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of HPDs made by consumers (i.e., novice impression takers) using do-it-yourself earmold impression kits versus trained professionals (i.e., audiologists).Research Design: Repeated measures/experimental.Study Sample: Two sets of earmold impressions were taken on a group of 10 participants. One set was taken by a novice participant and the other set was taken by an audiologist. Full-shell HPDs were manufactured using each set of impressions and evaluated.Data Collection and Analysis: Custom HPDs made from novice impression takers and audiologists were evaluated using real ear measurements (evaluated using a two-way analysis of variance), occluded testing (evaluated using a one-way analysis of variance), and visual impression evaluations by an HPD manufacturer.Results: The results showed that HPDs manufactured from novice impression takers showed significantly less attenuation than those made from audiologists, and most HPDs made from novice-taken impressions would not have been acceptable for manufacture.Conclusions: These results support the making of earmold impressions for custom HPDs by a trained professional/audiologist. Clinical implications/applications will be discussed.