Hearing aid trial

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that approximately 5% (432 million adults and 34 million children) of the world’s population experience a disabling hearing loss. This figure is expected to rise significantly by 2050, with around 1 in every 10 people, roughly 700 million individuals, projected to have a disabling hearing loss .

Despite the high prevalence of hearing loss in the elderly population worldwide, the use and uptake of hearing aids is still poor . A plethora of studies have investigated the reasons for poor uptake of hearing aids. These including hearing aids being uncomfortable, difficulty handling hearing aids, patients’ attitudes towards hearing loss and hearing aids, and poor understanding of the role of audiologists’ in supporting and counselling patients to promote hearing aid use.

Hearing aids have the potential to significantly improve an individual’s access to sound in various environments providing several clinically- proven benefits to the wearer. These benefits include reducing listening effort, enhancing communication, slowing down cognitive decline and improving overall quality of life (QoL).

To facilitate this adjustment process, it is recommended to provide individuals with a hearing aid trial period. During this trial period, the user is provided the opportunity to try out hearing aids before making a purchase, with the option to return or exchange them. Typically, a trial period is conducted to allow the audiologist or hearing aid dispenser the opportunity to ensure a comfortable fit of the hearing aid, fine tune them for personalised sound quality, prevent feedback and enable the user to use the hearing aids in various listening environments .