Improved Strategies and Tools in Hearing Assessment and Rehabilitation (I HeAR)

Swedish audiological care is facing significant challenges in the coming years. Firstly, the aging portion of the population is growing. Secondly, new research findings indicate that untreated hearing loss increases the risk of cognitive problems, which means that hearing care and rehabilitation efforts should commence at an early stage. The number of patients in need of hearing rehabilitation is therefore expected to increase substantially, while the number of audiologists conducting the rehabilitation processes remains largely unchanged. This places high demands on increased quality and efficiency in hearing health care.

The overarching goal of the project "I HeAR" is, therefore, to develop, implement, and evaluate a set of tools and strategies with the potential to enhance the quality and accessibility of hearing rehabilitation.

Initially, "I HeAR" focuses on the development and application of modern methods and technology in hearing assessment and rehabilitation, such as user-operated hearing measurements, the development of new speech perception tests, and questionnaires.

The tools that are at the forefront within "I HeAR" include:

• User-Operated Pure-Tone Audiometry
• Development of Swedish Speech Audiometry, with a specific focus on the SiP test
• Further development of the HFEQ questionnaire

Among the strategies planned within the project are a collaborative diagnostic reception and a hearing triage center (HTC). Both are ways to capitalize on the time-saving benefits that modern methods and technology can offer in hearing healthcare.

Read more about the research project on ResearchWeb here.