Digital interventions are increasingly used to support hearing aid users; however, evidence for first-time hearing aid users remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and effectiveness of digital interventions to improve outcomes for first-time hearing aid users. The protocol was pre-registered (PROSPERO; CRD420251125785) and conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Clinicians should consider incorporating evidence-based digital support tools (apps, online programmes) into onboarding protocols for first-time hearing aid users, pending the meta-analysis's specific effect-size findings.
As remote and self-managed hearing care expands, a rigorous meta-analysis of digital interventions for new hearing aid users provides the strongest available evidence to guide which digital tools clinics and dispensers should recommend or deploy.
- 01Systematic review and meta-analysis is the highest-level evidence design, combining results across multiple studies.
- 02Focus is specifically on first-time hearing aid users — a critical and often under-supported patient group.
- 03Digital interventions evaluated include apps, online programmes, and web-based rehabilitation tools.
- 04Published in Trends in Hearing, a peer-reviewed audiology journal.
- 05Findings directly relevant to teleaudiology and remote care service models.
Digital interventions can be efficacious and effective for first-time hearing aid users.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42421640
- DOI
- 10.1177/23312165261461350.
- Journal
- Trends in Hearing
- Publication type
- meta_analysis
- Evidence level
- 1a
- Population
- First-time hearing aid users enrolled in studies of digital rehabilitation or support interventions
- Intervention
- Digital interventions (apps, online programmes, web-based support) for hearing aid acclimatisation
- Comparator
- Usual care or no digital intervention
Primary outcomes
Efficacy of digital interventions on hearing aid outcomes; Effectiveness of digital interventions in real-world settings