STOP-T v.1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Does use of the MindEar app reduce tinnitus-related distress in patients awaiting tinnitus therapy?
IRAS ID
317132
Contact name
Lucy Handscomb
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCLH (University College London Hospital)
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
Most NHS tinnitus clinics in the UK are over-subscribed, with patients waiting many months to begin therapy. Without access to appropriate support, people with tinnitus can become anxious and entrenched in a cycle of negative thinking. In collaboration with the Hearing Therapy Department of UCLH, this study aims to collect data to investigate the feasibility of using the 'MindEar' app to give patients earlier access to evidence-based help with managing their tinnitus while waiting to receive in-person care. 'Tinnibot'(a feature of the MindEar app)is an interactive chatbot developed using cognitive behavioural therapy principles. We hypothesise that a digital therapeutic intervention will enable patients to start managing their tinnitus earlier and reduce the risk of symptoms worsening during an anxious wait for treatment. Over six months, sixty participants experiencing tinnitus distress who are referred to a hearing therapist will be recruited at UCLH and allocated to either an intervention group- to whom MindEar is provided at the point of referral- or to a control group that waits for their appointment with a hearing therapist in the usual way. We will use questionnaires to measure changes in tinnitus-related distress and emotional well-being in both groups. We will also run a focus group to gather Hearing Therapists’ impressions of whether the use of the MindEar app helps acclimatise patients to a psychological approach to tinnitus management.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
24/WA/0222
Date of REC Opinion
29 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion