Practice Listening and Understanding Speech Feasibility (PLUS-f) v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of auditory-cognitive training to improve outcomes for NHS patients who are first-time hearing aid users, compared with hearing aids alone.
IRAS ID
323606
Contact name
Helen Henshaw
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Research & Innovation
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 31 days
Research summary
The problem
There are ~12 million people in the UK with long-term hearing loss. Hearing loss isolates people, cutting them off from society. The standard treatment is to amplify quiet sounds using hearing aids, but listening also requires cognition (memory and attention), particularly in noisy and challenging everyday environments.Our novel solution
Our research has shown that computer games designed to help people practice listening to speech can improve cognition and listening abilities for people with hearing loss and hearing aid users. These games, termed ‘auditory-cognitive training’, could help patients better understand speech in noise, improving communication, which can improve quality of life. In the future, we need a large research trial to understand all of the benefits of these games to patients. First, we need to find out if the large trial could work, and if so, how best to design it. To do this, we are carrying out a feasibility study.Feasibility study
We will:
• Carry out a study with 105 first-time hearing aid users recruited from NHS audiology clinics.
• Understand how to provide the games to patients and the cost of doing this.
• Check the games can be delivered via the Internet to patients’ in their own homes.
• Work with NHS departments to check how many patients can take part in the feasibility study and how many will be needed for the trial.
• Find out what patients and clinicians think about the games and the research.
• Measure the time taken to collect and analyse research data.
• Publicise the results.
• If feasible, design the large trial.The feasibility study will help ensure the trial provides high-quality evidence and value for money. We will involve patients in designing the feasibility study, which should make it easier for future patients to take part in the trial.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/YH/0034
Date of REC Opinion
3 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion