Self-Fitting Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Show Comparable Results to Audiologist-Fitted Aids: JAMA

USA: According to a clinical trial published in the JAMA: Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery suggests that self-fitting over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids may be an effective intervention for individuals with mild-moderate hearing loss and produce clinical outcomes similar to those of an audiologist-fitted hearing aid.

Hearing loss is a prevalent condition that affects millions of people worldwide. In a bid to improve access and affordability, OTC hearing aids became available in October 2022. However, there is limited data on the clinical effectiveness of these devices.

A randomized clinical effectiveness trial compared the clinical effectiveness of a self-fitting OTC hearing aid with remote support and a hearing aid fitted using audiologist-fitted best practices. The study involved 64 adults with self-perceived mild to moderate hearing loss who were randomly assigned to either the self-fitting or the audiologist-fitted group.

Participants completed a 2-week, take-home field trial without any support. Access to fine-tuning for both groups was only available after the 2-week trial. Support and adjustment were provided remotely for the self-fitting group per request and by the audiologist for the audiologist-fitted group. Participants were then reassessed after an additional 4-week take-home trial.