Model approach for over-the-counter hearing aids suggests benefits similar to full-service purchase

NIH: Can over-the-counter hearing aids for older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss work as well as hearing aids purchased through an audiologist? In a new study, participants who selected pre-programmed hearing aids using an over-the-counter delivery model reported a similar level of benefit as participants who purchased the same hearing aids through an audiologist following best practices. The audiology services included fitting the hearing aids and counseling the consumers on how to use them. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health, supported the study, which is published in the March 2 American Journal of Audiology.