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✦ The Dispatch

Towards a standardized assessment of manual dexterity in hearing aid users using the ABILHAND questionnaire

A dispatch from PubMed — filed

To investigate the relationship between daily manual abilities, as measured by the ABILHAND questionnaire in hearing aid users, and their hearing aid handling skills, independently assessed by a panel of Hearing Care Professionals (HCPs) using a dedicated questionnaire. The study aimed to assess the potential of the ABILHAND questionnaire as a tool to guide HCPs in hearing aid choices.

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

Clinical Takeaway

If validated further, the ABILHAND questionnaire could offer audiologists a quick, standardized way to flag patients who may struggle with hearing aid handling, enabling earlier dexterity-targeted counseling or device selection.

Why It Matters

Manual dexterity is a clinically underassessed factor in hearing aid success; a validated standardized tool could meaningfully reduce device rejection and improve outcomes, especially in older or motor-impaired patients.

Key Points
  1. 01Investigated ABILHAND questionnaire as a standardized measure of manual dexterity in hearing aid users.
  2. 02Examines correlation between daily hand dexterity scores and hearing aid handling skills.
  3. 03Standardized dexterity assessment could improve device fitting decisions and patient counseling.
  4. 04Relevant particularly for older adults and patients with conditions affecting fine motor control.
  5. 05Published in International Journal of Audiology (doi: 10.1080/14992027.2026.2710963).
Claims & Evidence

ABILHAND questionnaire scores correlate with hearing aid handling skills in hearing aid users.

studypartially supported

ABILHAND can serve as a standardized assessment of manual dexterity relevant to hearing aid management.

studypartially supported
Research metadata
PMID
42557793
DOI
10.1080/14992027.2026.2710963.
Journal
International Journal of Audiology
Publication type
research_article
Evidence level
2b
Population
Hearing aid users
Intervention
ABILHAND questionnaire assessment of manual dexterity

Primary outcomes

Correlation between ABILHAND scores and hearing aid handling skills; Feasibility of ABILHAND as a standardized dexterity assessment for hearing aid users

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