Huang Qi Maggie (A0211062B)

Supervisor: Dr Jennifer Ellery Martin

▪ Hearing loss is a common disability

▪ Low hearing aid uptake and limited model of hearing aid delivery

▪ The traditional model: clinician-based delivery of hearing aid

▪ Lack of studies that investigate different hearing aid delivery models

▪ Chandra and Searchfield (2016) explored the perceptions toward internet-based

delivery of hearing aids in New Zealand.

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3

Perception of current hearing aid users toward internet-based delivery of hearing aid(s) in

Singapore

Reasons for

participants’ favourable

perceptions

Reasons for

participants’ negative

perceptions

▪ Population-based, descriptive

▪ Target: 100 participants (four local privately owned hearing clinics)

▪ Anonymous questionnaire procedure

▪ Questionnaire consisted of 4 areas:▪ Demographic

▪ Hearing aid purchase

▪ Familiarity with the internet

▪ Reasons of favourable and negative perception

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▪ Inclusion criteria:▪ 21 years old and above

▪ Singapore residents

▪ Current hearing aid users

▪ Using hearing aids for at least 1 year

▪ Able to read English or Chinese

▪ Exclusion criteria:▪ Incomplete questionnaire

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Profile of study population (n=81)Variables Categories n %

Gender Male 33 41

Female 48 59

Educational level No formal education 2 3

Primary school 5 6

Secondary school 24 30

A level 6 7

Diploma 12 15

University 27 33

Master degree 5 6

Doctorate / PhD 0 0

Income ≤ $40,000 45 55

$40,001 – $80,000 21 26

$80,001 – $120,000 7 9

$120,001 – $160,000 4 5

Above $160,000 4 5 7

Age range:22 – 98 years old

Mean: 63 (±18) years old

23

41

48

61

64

68

75

75

76

80

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

VALIDATION

HOME TRIAL

VERIFICATION

OTOSCOPY

IN-CLINIC TRIAL

TROUBLESHOOTING

HEARING AID EVALUATION

HEARING AID FITTING

HEARING AID FOLLOW-UP

HEARING TEST

Number of Participants

Clinician-based delivery of HA services (n=81)

8

Willing14%

Not willing86%

9

1

6

7

7

8

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

ANONYMITY

LOWER PRICES

PURCHASE ANYWHERE

TRANSPARENCY

PURCHASE ANY TIME

Number of Participants

10

73%

9%

18%

Purchase in-person, follow-up in-person

Purchase online, no follow-up

Purchase online, follow-up in-person

11

27

38

39

42

43

45

51

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

NOT FAMILIAR WITH ONLINE SHOPPING

ONLINE SCAMS

LACK OF TRUST IN THE BRAND

LACK OF PERSONAL CONTACT

UNABLE TO TRY

LACK OF FOLLOW-UP

LACK OF PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT

Number of Participants

12

▪ Small sample size

▪ Closed-set questionnaire▪ Less personalized

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▪ Bigger sample size▪ Evaluate how variables affect the perception

▪ Conduct the same study in hospitals

▪ Research on other populations▪ Potential hearing aid users

▪ Audiologists

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▪ The majority of the participants would not choose internet-based delivery for hearing aids, mainly due to lack of professional assessment and follow-up services.

▪ Understanding the perceptions from different populations can help to guide the future development of hearing aid delivery services to maximize benefits for patients while maintaining high standards for audiologists.

▪ A new model of hearing aid delivery could be researched and established to suit local population.

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Email: e0488975@u.nus.edu