If recommended by the NHS, a high proportion of UK adults would be willing to test their own hearing at home and use NHS self-fitting hearing aids, University of Manchester researchers find.
Led by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator Professor Kevin Munro, the research team surveyed a representative sample of over 2,000 adults in the UK about their willingness to test their own hearing at home and use pre-programmed or self-fit hearing aids.
Almost 9 in every 10 adults surveyed said they would be willing to test their own hearing at home if recommended by the NHS.
The majority also said they would be willing to try a hearing aid that was sent to them by the NHS either ready programmed or which required them to programme it for themselves.
The current NHS pathway involves GPs making a referral for a face-to-face appointment with an NHS audiologist in a hospital or high street setting. The uptake of hearing care is low and slow and current waiting times are very long.
However, policymakers are encouraging self-monitoring of health, and for health services to make greater use of digital technology as well as provide care closer to home.
The findings are a positive indication that such an approach would be welcomed by at least a proportion of adults.
A variety of apps and online tests are available for people to assess their hearing at home using their smartphone or tablet, and there are hearing aids that are available without the need to involve a hearing professional. However, these vary in quality, and not all have been properly evaluated.
The findings are published in the International Journal of Audiology.
The study was funded by an NIHR Senior Investigator award to Prof Munro and was supported by the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).
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
