Using the "Hearing Stages" tool to optimise hearing management options

Investigate the benefits of using the Hearing Stages tool to raise awareness, and uptake of appropriate hearing loss management options.

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

Consider integrating the 'Hearing Stages' decision-support tool into patient counselling workflows to improve awareness and uptake of appropriate hearing management options; however, await peer review and replication before wide adoption.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

Decision-support tools that improve hearing help-seeking behaviour could meaningfully reduce the well-documented gap between hearing loss diagnosis and hearing aid uptake.

✦ Key Points ✦

01'Hearing Stages' is a decision-support tool designed to guide patients through hearing management options.
02Study reports improved awareness and uptake of hearing management options following tool use.
03Addresses the persistent gap between hearing loss identification and patient action.
04Published in the International Journal of Audiology, indicating peer-reviewed scrutiny.
05Findings are relevant to both clinical audiologists and public health hearing programmes.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

Using the 'Hearing Stages' tool raises awareness of appropriate hearing loss management options.

studypartially supported

Using the 'Hearing Stages' tool increases uptake of appropriate hearing loss management options.

studypartially supported

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42685269
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2026.2707773.
Journal: International Journal of Audiology
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 2b
Population: Individuals with hearing loss considering management options
Intervention: 'Hearing Stages' decision-support tool

Primary outcomes

Awareness of hearing management options; Uptake of appropriate hearing management options

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