Usability, acceptabilityand clinical utility of a mobile app to screen for hearing loss in older adults in a geriatric rehabilitation hospital.

Abstract

Hearing loss is a common problem for older adults entering rehabilitation hospitals. To pilot a hearing loss screening device to determine feasibility, usability, and impact on patient outcomes. We screened all patients newly admitted to a geriatric day hospital for hearing loss using the SHOEBOX® QuickTest (SHOEBOX Ltd.) app as part of a quality improvement programme. We measured the time it took for each patient to complete screening and recorded any issues they had using the app. We recorded the number of patients who screened positive who did not have a previous diagnosis and changes in physician behaviours after they received their patients' results. Seventy-four patients with a mean age of 83.4 years used the hearing screener. All patients were able to complete the screening with a mean time to completion of 10 min and 48 s. Ninety-nine percent of patients screened positive for hearing loss. Of these positives 56% were in participants not already known to have hearing loss. Physicians often changed their behaviour after receiving results by using assistive devices during visits and referring to audiology for formal testing. Screening for hearing loss is feasible in a geriatric day hospital. The SHOEBOX QuickTest app is acceptable, usable, resulting in the identification of undiagnosed hearing loss and in changes to physician behaviour.