Effects of the Swedish Internet-based Individualised Active Communication Education (I-ACE) in FTU

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Hearing Impairment
• Interventions: Behavioral: Individualised Active Communication Education (I-ACE)

• Registration Number: NCT05815667
• Lead Sponsor: Horselvarden Region Ostergotland

Brief Summary

Hearing impairment affects the ability to communicate, which can adversely affect both mental and physical health. The most common used rehabilitation method in hearing impairment is hearing aid fitting. Even with optimally fitted hearing aids, many struggle to hear in situations with difficult listening conditions. Active Communication Education (ACE) is an interactive group rehabilitation programme aiming to help those with hearing loss communicate more effectively using communication strategies to cope better in everyday life. An Individualised Active Communication Education (I-ACE) distributed digitally could enable those unable to get to the hearing care facility, or don't want to join the group sessions to benefit from the programme.

This project aims to investigate the effects of the swedish digital version of the I-ACE in first time hearing aid users.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2023-03-01
• Study First Submitted: 2023-03-21
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-04-04
• Study First Posted: 2023-04-18
• Primary Completion: 2023-12-16
• Study Completion: 2023-12-16
• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-04
• Last Update Posted: 2025-02-06

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 63

Inclusion Criteria

• Adults >20 years old who have been fitted with hearing aids for the first time (first time users) 6 - 12 months prior.
• Computer experience and access to computer, tablet and/or smartphone with internet access.
• Access to BankID or equivalent.

Exclusion Criteria

• Those who have participated in Active Communication Education prior.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intervention group	Individualised Active Communication Education (I-ACE)	I-ACE. All participants are offered the I-ACE programme for the duration of 5 weeks.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Communication and Acceptance Scale (CAS)	Baseline, directly post intervention and 6 months post intervention.	Assessing changes in use of communication strategies and the emotional consequences, knowledge and acceptance of hearing loss.; Minimum 18 points to maximum 90. Higher score indicates a lower impact of the hearing loss.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Communication Strategies Scale (CSS)	Baseline, directly post intervention and 6 months post intervention.	Assessing changes in use of verbal, non-verbal and maladaptive communication strategies.; Minimum 25 points to maximum 100. Higher score indicates a greater use of communication strategies.
The Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE)	Baseline, directly post intervention and 6 months post intervention.	Assessing changes in emotional and social effects of hearing loss. Minimum 0 points to maximum 100 points. Higher score indicates greater emotional and social effects of hearing loss.
The International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA)	Baseline, directly post intervention and 6 months post intervention.	Assessing changes in perceived effectiveness and satisfaction with hearing aids.; Minimum 7 points to maximum 35 points. Higher score indicates higher perceived effect.
The International Outcome Inventory for Alternative Interventions (IOI-AI)	Directly post intervention and 6 months post intervention.	Assessing changes in perceived effectiveness with an alternative intervention, in this case the I-ACE.; Minimum 7 points to maximum 35 points. Higher score indicates higher perceived effect.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hörselvården Region Östergötland; 🇸🇪 Linköping, Sweden