The use of ecological momentary assessment in hearing research and future clinical applications

Abstract

To obtain real-world insights into the hearing difficulties of individuals, the field of hearing research has recently started to adopt ecological momentary assessment. Using this approach, study participants describe their experiences in real time, in their own natural environment. This paper describes the use of ecological momentary assessment in hearing research to date. Several studies have shown the approach is feasible and has good construct validity for use with adults with hearing impairment and/or tinnitus. Two recent studies conducted by the authors are described. The first study investigated the listening experiences of older adults with mild hearing impairment and concluded that ecological momentary assessment provided group and individual data which highlighted the between-subject variability in this clinical population. The second study investigated the difference that the provision of hearing aids could make for older adults with mild hearing impairment. The pilot study indicated that ecological momentary assessment could be successfully used in intervention studies to measure, for example, individual hearing aid benefit, which may extend beyond improved speech understanding. The study also revealed the potential for ecological momentary assessment as a tool for clinical practice and decision-making. Ecological momentary assessment can result in a rich array of research data if specific study design guidelines, presented in this paper, are followed. The development of a clinical ecological momentary assessment tool would provide clinicians an individualized outcome measure and facilitate the adoption of a greater degree of client- and family-centeredness, thereby improving rehabilitation outcomes.

The use of ecological momentary assessment to evaluate real-world aided outcomes with children

“…The compliance rate reported in this study is higher than that reported in a systematic review of EMA studies with youths, where event-based triggered studies reported compliance to be between 47.9% and 74.1% (Heron et al 2017). In a summary of EMA studies from Timmer, Hickson, and Launer (2018b) compliance amongst adult hearing aid users ranged between 77% and 93%. Overall, the children in this study reported a high level of enthusiasm around the use of mobile technology to inform the hearing aid fitting process.…”

A Smartphone App to Facilitate Remote Patient-Provider Communication in Hearing Health Care: Usability and Effect on Hearing Aid Outcomes

“…Second, patients can struggle to accurately describe listening problems retrospectively. 11 If there is a lengthy delay between their experience of a problem and a visit to their provider, key details about the problem may be forgotten. Third, hearing aids are typically fine-tuned in the clinic, with the patient expected to rapidly assess whether the new, fine-tuned settings have adequately addressed the problem.…”

Best Practices in the Development, Translation, and Cultural Adaptation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Adults With Hearing Impairment: Lessons From the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life Instruments

“…Ecological momentary assessment is interesting in a world where ubiquitous technology is increasingly following us, quantifying, tracking, and even pre-empting our behaviors and thoughts. The convergence of PROMs with hearing device usage, acoustic environments, and health and wellbeing data provides a holistic view of a patient’s level of functioning against the context and environment in which they evolve ( Timmer et al, 2018 ). Cloud-based programming of hearing devices also calls for PROMs that are easier and closer to the patient so that replacing face-to-face appointments with remote care does not have to compromise opportunities for outcome measures.…”