How hearing aids help in everyday noisy places
Evaluating the Impact of Hearing Aid Signal Enhancement Algorithms in Real-World Contexts
This project tests whether different hearing aid settings and everyday noisy situations change how well hearing aids help adults with symmetric, adult-onset sensorineural hearing loss who already use hearing aids.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 45 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Wisconsin, Madison Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Madison, Wisconsin) |
| Trial ID | NCT07226167 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This crossover interventional study compares hearing-aid signal processing settings across diverse real-world acoustic contexts to measure speech perception, listening effort, and user satisfaction. Participants complete hearing and listening tests, memory and attention assessments, and smartphone surveys while using assigned hearing-aid settings in varied noisy environments. Each participant tries multiple settings so outcomes can be compared within the same person. The goal is to clarify how environmental factors and device algorithms interact to affect real-world hearing-aid benefit.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults over 18 with symmetrical, bilateral adult-onset sensorineural hearing loss who have used hearing aids for more than three months are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People with unilateral or asymmetrical hearing loss, conductive or mixed hearing loss, childhood-onset (pre-lingual) hearing loss, or no prior hearing-aid experience are unlikely to qualify or benefit from this protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help clinicians and manufacturers choose hearing aid settings that improve speech understanding and comfort in everyday noisy situations.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have shown certain hearing-aid algorithms improve speech perception in controlled settings, but few studies have tested these algorithms across varied real-world noisy environments, making this partly novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Over 18 years old * Symmetrical, bilateral, adult onset, sensorineural hearing loss * Experienced hearing aid users (\> 3 months) Exclusion Criteria: * Under 18 years old * Conductive or mixed hearing loss * Asymmetrical or unilateral hearing loss * Pre-lingual or childhood hearing loss onset * No hearing aid experience
Where this trial is running
Madison, Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin - Madison — Madison, Wisconsin, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Erik Jorgensen, AuD, PhD — University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Study coordinator: Lucas Modahl
- Email: lmodahl@wisc.edu
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.