Using smartphone technology to support the adult audiologic rehabilitation journey

Abstract

Objective: Although the availability of mobile device applications (apps) to support people with hearing impairment is rapidly increasing, there are few reports of the use of such apps by the target population. The aim of this paper is to describe research that has applied apps at various stages of the adult rehabilitation journey. Design: A summary of studies utilising apps to investigate (1) the hearing difficulties and acoustic environments of adults with mild hearing impairment, (2) hearing aid benefit in this population and (3) useability of an app to guide hearing aid handling tasks. Study sample: Older adults with no previous experience with hearing aids, who owned a smartphone or tablet and were confident in using apps. Participant samples ranged from 10 (hearing aid benefit pilot study, mean age = 70 years) to 30 participants (app useability study, mean age = 69 years). Results: All studies showed that smartphone apps can provide real-world insights during the early stages of the patient journey and hearing aid management support during the latter stages. App useability was rated positively by participants. Conclusion: Smartphone apps may be used as a feasible complement to face-to-face interaction in audiology practice.