Direct-to-Consumer Hearing Aids and Listening Effort

Who can take part

• Speak English as their primary language
• No vision impairment that would interfere with the ability to complete study tasks (i.e., legally blind, severe cataracts, or macular degeneration)
• Bilateral mild to moderate sensorineural or mixed hearing loss
• Pass a cognitive screener
• Minimum Grade 10 education
• Ability to attend all study visits
• Eligible communication partner who can attend first study visit

Who cannot take part

• Clinically significant unstable or progressive medical conditions, or conditions which, in the opinion of the investigator(s) places the participant at unacceptable risk if he or she were to participate in the study
• History of unresolved communication difficulties following another neurological problem (i.e., stroke or brain tumor), neurodevelopmental disorder (i.e., Down's syndrome), or head/neck cancer
• Diagnosis of dementia or cognitive impairment
• Positive history of major psychiatric disorder (i.e., schizophrenia, significant untreated depression)
• Co-enrolled in other intervention studies targeting hearing, language, or communication strategies
• History or current fluctuating hearing loss
• Evidence of conductive hearing loss
• Current active hearing aid wearer (defined as wearing hearing aid(s) at least 4 hours a day for most days within the past year)
• Current active hearing aid wearer within 30-day trial period of purchased hearing aids from a licensed provider