The use of hearing aid-based step counting may offer objective measurement of activity, but there is little published literature on the perspectives of older adult users in using this feature. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively describe the experiences and motivation for using a hearing aid step-counting feature in a sample of active older adults.
No actionable change — this qualitative study maps user perceptions of hearing-aid step-counters in older adults, but provides no outcome data or clinical guidance to change practice.
As hearing aids expand into wellness monitoring, understanding whether older active users trust and engage with built-in step-counting informs both counselling approaches and future device feature design.
- 01Qualitative design captures older active adults' lived experiences with hearing-aid step-counting features.
- 02Hearing aids with embedded pedometers offer a passive, always-worn platform for physical-activity monitoring.
- 03User perspectives (trust, usability, motivation) are essential before step-counting data can be clinically meaningful.
- 04Published in the American Journal of Audiology (PMID 42138544; DOI 10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00290).
- 05Findings may inform counselling conversations about the non-acoustic features of modern hearing aids.
Hearing aids with step-counting features can serve as an objective measure of physical activity in older adults.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42138544
- DOI
- 10.1044/2026_AJA-25-00290.
- Journal
- American Journal of Audiology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Active older adults who use hearing aids with a built-in step-counting feature
- Intervention
- Hearing-aid step-counting feature used as a physical-activity monitor
Primary outcomes
Older active adults' perceptions and experiences of the hearing-aid step-counting feature; Perceived utility of step-counting as an objective physical-activity measure
