Evaluating an Audiology Text-Message Protocol to Support Hearing Aid Use in NHS Adult Audiology Patients

Sponsor
WSAUD A/S
Study ID
NCT07146607
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Hearing Loss

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Audiology text-message protocol — BEHAVIORAL
    Florence is an interactive text messaging service, endorsed by NHS England, designed to improve clinical outcomes for patients. An audiology text-message protocol, delivered via Florence, will prepare, inform and support new NHS hearing aid users as they are prescribed, receive, and start to use their hearing aid(s).

Study Details

Over 18 million adults in the United Kingdom have significant hearing loss, linked to isolation, depression and comorbidities. Hearing aids are the main management option yet are frequently unused (\~23%) or used irregularly (\<40%), wasting NHS resources and reducing quality-of-life gains. Digital behaviour-change interventions can improve self-management between appointments. Florence, an NHS-endorsed text-messaging system, has been used in the management of other long-term conditions, but has not yet been applied within audiology. This study will test a standardised audiology text-message protocol, delivered via Florence, to support new NHS hearing aid users, aiming to improve adherence, outcomes, and cost-effectiveness. Outcomes assess trial feasibility (primary objective), proof-of concept for efficacy (secondary objective), and process evaluation (tertiary objective).

Key Dates

First listed
Aug 28, 2025
Start date
Sep 30, 2025
Status verified
Mar 2026
Primary completion
Nov 30, 2026
Completion
Dec 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
70 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Hearing aids plus text-message protocol
    Audiology text-message protocol: The experimental group will receive a minimum of 65 text-messages directly to their mobile telephone for the duration of the 14-week text-message protocol (2 weeks for Stage 1 protocol, 12 weeks for Stage 2 protocol) in addition to receiving the standard audiology treatment as usual (see Control: Standard audiological care (hearing aid provision - treatment as usual)).
  • No Intervention: Standard audiological care (treatment as usual)
    Participants allocated to the control group will receive treatment as usual. Treatment as usual is defined as standard treatment available to NHS audiology patients. This may include an audiological assessment, prescription of one/two hearing aids, and an optional face-to-face follow-up appointment.

Primary Outcome Measure

Self-reported hearing aid use [ Time Frame: From enrollment to week 16 and 28 ]

Central Contacts

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