Are hearing aid owners able to identify and self-report handling difficulties? A pilot study

Objective: Although clinician administered surveys evaluating hearing aid handling skills exist, the development of a self-administered version may reduce clinical load, save consultation time, and facilitate more frequent use than face-to-face consultations allow. However, there is currently no evidence to support whether hearing aid owners can accurately self-report hearing aid handling skills via self-report survey that systematically evaluates the ability to accurately perform the individual aspects of hearing aid handling required for effective hearing aid management. Design: An explorative pilot study using a prospective research design. Study sample: Nineteen adult hearing aid owners, aged between 65 and 93 years. Results: The self-administered survey demonstrated high sensitivity when compared with clinician evaluation of skills, with 93% of participants accurately self-identifying and reporting whether hearing aid handling skill training was required. Conclusions: Hearing aid owners are able to accurately self-report hearing aid handling difficulties when provided with an itemised list of skills.