Text Message Reminders for Hearing Loss

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Stanford University

Disqualifiers: Hearing aids, Cochlear implants, Dementia, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether text message reminders can encourage more people with hearing loss to start using hearing aids. Many individuals learn they have hearing loss but do not obtain hearing aids. The study aims to determine if reminders about hearing aids and the importance of treating hearing loss motivate more people to take action. It is suitable for English-speaking adults who have been advised to use hearing aids but do not currently use them and have a cellphone for receiving texts. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to explore innovative methods to improve hearing aid adoption.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on using text messages to encourage hearing aid use, so it's unlikely that your medications will be affected.

What prior data suggests that automated text message reminders are safe for patients with hearing loss?

Research shows that text message reminders in healthcare are safe and well-received. Studies have found that these reminders help people attend medical appointments without reported problems or side effects. Text message reminders are often cheaper and less disruptive than phone call reminders. No evidence suggests negative health effects from text message reminders, making them a safe way to encourage actions like obtaining hearing aids for hearing loss. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using automated text message reminders for hearing loss because this method offers a fresh approach to patient engagement. Unlike traditional treatments that typically involve in-person consultations and fitting sessions for hearing aids, this method leverages technology to encourage proactive health behavior. The reminders not only prompt individuals to obtain hearing aids but also provide valuable information on the prevalence and negative impacts of untreated hearing loss. This approach has the potential to increase accessibility and compliance, making it a promising tool for improving hearing health outcomes.

What evidence suggests that automated text message reminders are effective for increasing hearing aid use?

Research shows that text message reminders can greatly help patients adhere to their healthcare routines. Studies have found that these reminders often lead to better follow-up and increased appointment attendance. In this trial, participants in the intervention group will receive automated text message reminders, which have successfully encouraged people to seek help for hearing loss. Specifically, one study found that using both text and voice reminders led to a 75.2% follow-up rate. This evidence suggests that text message reminders could effectively encourage more people with hearing loss to use hearing aids. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals who have been diagnosed with hearing loss and are considered candidates for using hearing aids. The study aims to see if text message reminders can help them adopt the use of hearing aids.

Inclusion Criteria

I am an adult who speaks English and has been advised to get hearing aids.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with dementia

Patients who use hearing aids or cochlear implants

I do not have a valid cellphone number.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants in the intervention group receive automated text messages instructing them to obtain hearing aids, including information on the prevalence and negative effects of hearing loss

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the likelihood of obtaining hearing aids at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after enrollment

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Automated Text Message Reminders

Trial Overview The intervention being tested is an automated text message reminder system designed to educate patients about their hearing loss and encourage them to acquire and use hearing aids.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Automated Text Message Reminder Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in the intervention group will receive automated text messages instructing them to obtain hearing aids. The messages will also include basic information on the prevalence and negative effects of hearing loss.

Group II: Control Group Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Stanford University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Citations

1. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07170423

Automated Text Message Reminders to Promote Hearing ... It identifies the role of the intervention that participants receive. Types of arms include experimental arm, active comparator arm, placebo ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6112101/

Using text message reminders in health care services The review found that nearly all the SMS-reminder studies helped improve patient medical compliance and appointment reminders. Additionally, ...

3. trial.medpath.com trial.medpath.com/clinical-trial/490344da07ac92ca/nct07170423-automated-text-reminders-hearing-aid-adoption

Automated Text Message Reminders to Promote Hearing Aid ... The study objective is to examine whether automated text-messaging reminders increase the use of hearing aids among patients with hearing loss, who are hearing ...

4. jogh.org jogh.org/2022/jogh-12-04060/

Community health workers and mHealth systems for ... A combination of automated short message service (SMS) text messages and voice reminders resulted in a follow-up compliance of 75.2%. No ...

5. humanfactors.jmir.org humanfactors.jmir.org/2024/1/e52310/

Prediction of Hearing Help Seeking to Design a ... This study aims to characterize individuals who are more or less prone to seeking professional help after the repeated use of an app-based hearing test.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4831598/

Appointment reminder systems are effective but not optimal Costs/attendance of SMS lower compared to phone reminders. No studies reported harms or adverse effects of the intervention, nor health outcomes or user ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782918300022

Using text message reminders in health care services The aim of this article is to systematically review the aggregate impact of these reminders on overall health care outcomes. Methods. A systematic literature ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6485985/

Mobile phone messaging reminders for attendance at ... Two studies reported that the costs per text message per attendance were respectively 55% and 65% lower than costs per phone call reminder. The studies included ...

9. thepermanentejournal.org thepermanentejournal.org/doi/10.7812/TPP/21.078

Pragmatic Randomized Study of Targeted Text Message ... Risk prediction models can be used to target reminders for visits that are likely to be missed. Methods: We conducted a randomized quality ...