An application of the Medical Research Council’s guidelines for evaluating complex interventions: a usability study assessing Smartphone-connected listening devices in adults with hearing loss

Maidment, David; Ferguson, Melanie

Abstract

Purpose: To provide an example of the Medical Research Council’s (MRC’s) guidelines for evaluating complex healthcare interventions in the context of Smartphone-connected listening devices in adults with hearing loss.
Method: Twenty existing hearing aid users trialed one of the following Smartphone-connected listening devices: made-for- Smartphone hearing aids, a personal sound amplification product, and a Smartphone ‘hearing aid’ application used with either wireless or wired earphones. Following two-weeks of use in their everyday lives, participants completed self-report outcome measures.
Results: Relative to conventional hearing aids, self-reported use, benefit, and satisfaction were higher, and residual disability lower, for made-for-Smartphone hearing aids. The converse was found for the other Smartphone-connected listening devices trialed. Similarly, overall usability was judged to be ‘above average’ for the made-for-Smartphone hearing aids, but ‘below average’ for the remaining devices.
Conclusion: This developmental work, guided by the MRC’s framework, lays the foundation for feasibility and pilot studies, leading to high-quality research assessing the effectiveness of
Smartphone-connected listening devices. This future evidence is necessary to guide healthcare commissioners and policymakers when considering new service delivery models for adults living with hearing loss.

Citation

Maidment, D., & Ferguson, M. (2018). An application of the Medical Research Council’s guidelines for evaluating complex interventions: a usability study assessing Smartphone-connected listening devices in adults with hearing loss. American Journal of Audiology, 27(3S), 474-482. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJA-IMIA3-18-0019

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 9, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Nov 19, 2018
• Publication Date: Nov 19, 2018
• Deposit Date: Oct 5, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 8, 2018
• Journal: American Journal of Audiology
• Print ISSN: 1059-0889
• Electronic ISSN: 1558-9137
• Publisher: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 3S
• Pages: 474-482
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJA-IMIA3-18-0019
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1148204
• Publisher URL: https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2018_AJA-IMIA3-18-0019
• Contract Date: Oct 5, 2018