Hearing impairment in Adults: Longitudinal Outcome Study (HALOS)

Despite its high prevalence, adult-onset hearing loss is largely an under-recognised health problem.

Hearing loss can have a substantial impact on communication. Treating hearing loss typically focuses solely on auditory and speech outcomes. However, hearing loss can also have a substantial effect on:

• psychological wellbeing
• quality of life
• social connectedness
• relationships
• economic independence.

A public health approach is needed that seeks to promote health by having a better understanding of how these other important aspects of life are associated with the different hearing intervention and rehabilitation pathways.

HALOS seeks to better understand how existing hearing interventions and technologies address the needs of adults with hearing loss. Given the many challenges faced by people with a hearing loss, it is imperative to better understand how hearing interventions impact on health and social outcomes, and the patient’s perspective of the hearing care pathway and delivery of hearing services.

Chief investigator: Professor Bamini Gopinath

Project coordinator: Jessica Turner

Research Assistant: Dominic Sepulveda

PhD candidates:

• Shermin Lim (Flinders University)
• Mohammad Nure Alam (Macquarie University)

Co-investigators:

• Professor David McAlpine
• Professor Cath McMahon
• Professor Kerry Sherman
• Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite
• Professor Gregory Leigh
• Professor Frances Rapport
• Professor Viviana Wuthrich
• Professor Janaki Amin
• Professor Rebecca Mitchell
• Professor Patrick Garcia
• Associate Professor Jorg Buchholz
• Associate Professor Kompal Sinha
• Dr Diana Tang

Collaborators:

• Hearing Australia
• NAL
• Nextsense
• Audika
• Bay Audio
• Flinders Medical Centre
• MQ Speech & Hearing Clinic

1. Evaluate the impacts of treating hearing loss on health (for example: QoL, cognition, depression/mood, functional status), interpersonal relationships, education, and work.
2. Examine differences in long-term outcomes within and between groups of hearing device users.
3. Determine the impact from the timing of audiological intervention and the effectiveness of earlier intervention on outcomes.
4. Understand the patient journey through healthcare and identify the facilitators and barriers to accessing and using a hearing device.
5. Estimate the cost-effectiveness of early intervention–through hearing aid(s) or cochlear implant(s) for hearing loss.

HALOS is a mixed-methods study collecting cross-sectional and longitudinal data on health and social outcomes from hearing aid and/or cochlear implant users aged ≥40 years, recruited from hearing service providers across Australia.

An online or paper-based survey will be completed at baseline (time of recruitment), 24-months, and 48-months and will collect audiological, health, psychosocial, functional and employment outcomes using validated instruments.

At baseline a subset of participants will complete a semi-structured interview to understand the patient journey and perspectives on the Australian hearing service model.

Eligibility criteria

• Adults aged 40 years plus.
• Wear a hearing device (hearing aid and/or cochlear implant) in at least one ear.
• Proficient in English to complete the survey.
• Able to give informed consent.