Prof Kevin Munro said: “If evaluated and shown to be successful for adults who prefer this option, DIY ear care has the potential to increase patient choice and shift care closer to home. It will also free up audiologists’ time to spend with adults who most need their help.”
However, Prof Munro cautions that more work is needed before the findings are rolled out into practice: “We have yet to evaluate whether this willingness will translate into reality or whether audiologists would be comfortable with this approach. We would also need to determine what support the NHS should provide to adults who opt to use these new pathways.”
Professor Gabrielle Saunders from The University of Manchester and Hearing Health Co-Theme Lead at the NIHR Manchester BRC, a co-author of the study said: “The main benefits reported in the survey include convenience, immediacy (not needing to wait for an appointment) and savings for the NHS. However, respondents raised genuine concerns that will need to be addressed including uncertainty about trusting the test results and feeling confident that they did the testing properly in the absence of face-to-face support.”
Claire Benton, President of the British Academy of Audiology, said: “The profession is keen to foster a culture of continuous improvement, and these findings are very interesting. It is clear there is a need to provide a variety of solutions to resolve the current pressures. If the benefit to patients is not inferior to current practice, this provides additional options that are potentially sustainable solution for the NHS.”
However, Benton went on to note: “These low-touch digital solutions will not be suitable for everyone. Also, we need to be reassured that we will not miss anyone with ear disease that requires medical attention.”
Professor De wet Swanepoel, editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Audiology said: “Traditional models of hearing care can no longer meet the near-universal demand among older adults. This study highlights that adults themselves recognise the need for more accessible, self-directed models of care — a shift that is both necessary and transformative for healthy ageing.”
According to RNID, 1 in 3 adults in the UK have some sort of hearing disorder, which is a total of over 18 million people. The prevalence increases significantly with age, with over half of people aged 55 or more having hearing loss. The number is projected to rise, with estimates suggesting 14.2 million adults will have hearing loss by 2035.
- The paper: DIY audiology at home: adults are interested in conducting self-administered hearing tests and trying fit-at-home hearing aids is published here . The DOI of the paper is: 10.1080/14992027.2025.2576030.T
link