Performance and Effectiveness of a Self-fitting Over-the-counter Hearing Aid

Hearing loss significantly affects quality of life, with sensorineural hearing loss being the most common type among adults. Hearing aids are a proven intervention, yet barriers like access and affordability limit their adoption, even in high-income countries with developed audiological services . Traditionally, hearing aids required professional consultations, restricting access. However, in 2022, the U.S. FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, including self-fitting devices, to improve accessibility. Recent clinical trials suggest that OTC hearing aids can deliver similar benefits to professionally fitted ones in speech recognition and self-reported outcomes. Critiques of these studies have focused on using the same device model for both groups rather than comparing it to established prescription hearing aids. To address this, the current study employs a phased approach. Phase 1 validates an in-situ hearing test against a standard audiometer, Phase 2 assesses user experience, and Phase 3 involves a randomized control trial comparing a self-fitting OTC hearing aid with a professionally fitted prescription device. The hypothesis is that both devices offer equivalent benefits. This research is novel as no previous studies have directly compared self-fitting OTC and commercially available prescription hearing aids. This study will compare the effectiveness of an OTC self-fitting hearing aid against a prescription device using a crossover randomized control trial.