Evaluating the Effects of Information Leaflets in Adult Aural Rehabilitation

A Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Hearing Aid Knowledge and the Effects of Information Leaflets With and Without Illustrations

Knowledge about how to manage hearing aids is an important factor in hearing aid success, but studies show that this knowledge ranges from good to poor, even among experienced adult hearing aid users. Information leaflets is a common tool in healthcare to give information with the purpose to increase theoretical knowledge and change behaviour, and illustrations in these leaflets can provide additional understanding for all kinds of patients.

The primary aim of this aural rehabiliation study was to evaluate participants' knowledge about placement in a noisy environment, directional microphone and telecoil function at baseline and postintervention and assessing their perceptions of the benefits of an information leaflet. Additional aim was to investigate whether, an information leaflet with illustrations and accompanying text about hearing aid functions have additional effects on participants' knowledge compared to an information leaflet without illustrations.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults (18-80 years old) with hearing aids from 2012 or later

Exclusion Criteria:

• Hearing aids without possibility to have activated directional microphones and telecoil
• non-swedish speaking (e.g. need interpreter)