Screening and telemedicine referral for childhood hearing loss in rural Kentucky
Official title: Appalachian Specialty Telemedicine Access for Referrals (STAR) Trial
Run by University of Arkansas · NCT05513833 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new way to check for hearing problems in kids at rural Kentucky schools using mobile health tools and telemedicine to make sure they get the care they need.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 3 Years to 11 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 18000 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Arkansas Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Lexington, Kentucky) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2022 |
| Main results expected | June 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | June 30, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | May 6, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT05513833 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates for this study are children enrolled in elementary school within the 14 participating counties in rural Kentucky.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are not enrolled in school or those outside the designated counties may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This trial evaluates a multilevel intervention called the STAR model, which combines mobile health hearing screening tools with telemedicine to improve access to specialty care for childhood hearing loss in rural Kentucky schools. The intervention includes enhanced mHealth screening protocols, such as tympanometry, to detect middle ear disease, which is common in these settings. The study aims to address the challenges of follow-up care and the effectiveness of existing school-based hearing screening programs. By leveraging telemedicine, the STAR model seeks to ensure that children identified with hearing issues receive timely and appropriate referrals for further evaluation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve early detection and management of childhood hearing loss, leading to better long-term outcomes for affected children.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using telemedicine for specialty referrals in rural settings, such as in Alaska, have shown success in improving follow-up rates and timeliness of care.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Enrolled in school in one of the 14 participating counties * Initial entry into elementary school * Eligible regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity Exclusion Criteria: • N/A
Where it's running
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Matt Bush, MD, PhD, MBA — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Susan Emmett, MD, MPH
- Email: sdemmett@uams.edu
- Phone: 501-603-1212
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
WhatsApp AI support vs paper support for first-time hearing aid users
This study tests whether a WhatsApp-based AI support program helps adults with new hearing aids in LMIC communities use and feel confident about their devices better than a paper pamphlet.
-
Hearing and Brain Development in Children and Teens
This observational study tests how hearing care paths (like hearing aids, cochlear implants, brainstem implants, gene therapy, or no intervention) relate to hearing, speech, language, and brain development in kids and teens, with a normal-hearing group for comparison.
-
Web-based auditory training with easy versus hard task settings to improve speech and listening
This project will test whether easy or hard versions of a web-based auditory training program help adults with hearing loss improve speech understanding and everyday listening.
-
Long-term hearing and speech outcomes after cochlear implants
This project will see if cochlear implants improve hearing, speech understanding, and quality of life in Mandarin-speaking patients of all ages before and after surgery.
-
Clemastine plus engineered sound to improve hearing in noisy environments for age-related central auditory processing disorder
This trial will test whether taking clemastine while listening to engineered sounds helps people aged 45–65 with age-related central auditory processing disorder hear better in noisy places.
-
Add Pedmark to cisplatin chemotherapy to prevent hearing loss in men with stage II–III metastatic testicular germ cell tumors
We will test whether adding Pedmark to cisplatin chemotherapy reduces hearing damage in men with stage II–III metastatic testicular germ cell tumors.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.