Hearing dogs for people with severe and profound hearing loss: a wait-list design randomised controlled trial investigating their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.


Journal

Trials
ISSN: 1745-6215
Titre abrégé: Trials
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101263253

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
14 Oct 2021
Historique:
received: 07 09 2020
accepted: 06 09 2021
entrez: 15 10 2021
pubmed: 16 10 2021
medline: 21 10 2021
Statut: epublish

Résumé

Hearing loss increases the risk of poor outcomes across a range of life domains. Where hearing loss is severe or profound, audiological interventions and rehabilitation have limited impact. Hearing dogs offer an alternative, or additional, intervention. They live permanently with recipients, providing sound support and companionship. A single-centre, randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the impacts of a hearing dog on mental well-being, anxiety, depression, problems associated with hearing loss (responding to sounds, fearfulness/social isolation), and perceived dependency on others. Participants were applicants to the UK charity 'Hearing Dogs for Deaf People'. Eligibility criteria were as follows: first-time applicant; applying for a hearing dog (as opposed to other support provided by the charity). Participants were randomised 1:1 to the following: receive a hearing dog sooner than usual [HD], or within the usual application timeframe (wait-list [WL] comparator). The primary outcome was mental well-being (Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale) 6 months (T1) after HD received a hearing dog. The cost-effectiveness analysis took a health and social care perspective. In total, 165 participants were randomised (HD n = 83, WL n = 82). A total of 112 (67.9%) were included in the primary analysis (HD n = 55, WL n = 57). At T1, mental well-being was significantly higher in the HD arm (adjusted mean difference 2.53, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.79, p < 0.001). Significant improvements in anxiety, depression, functioning, fearfulness/social isolation, and perceived dependency, favouring the HD arm, were also observed. On average, HD participants had used fewer statutory health and social care resources. In a scenario whereby costs of provision were borne by the public sector, hearing dogs do not appear to be value for money. If the public sector made a partial contribution, it is possible that hearing dogs would be cost-effective from a public sector perspective. Hearing dogs appear to benefit recipients across a number of life domains, at least in the short term. Within the current funding model (costs entirely borne by the charity), hearing dogs are cost-effective from the public sector perspective. Whilst it would not be cost-effective to fully fund the provision of hearing dogs by the public sector, a partial contribution could be explored. The trial was retrospectively registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry on 28.1.2019: ISRCTN36452009 .

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Hearing loss increases the risk of poor outcomes across a range of life domains. Where hearing loss is severe or profound, audiological interventions and rehabilitation have limited impact. Hearing dogs offer an alternative, or additional, intervention. They live permanently with recipients, providing sound support and companionship.
METHODS METHODS
A single-centre, randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the impacts of a hearing dog on mental well-being, anxiety, depression, problems associated with hearing loss (responding to sounds, fearfulness/social isolation), and perceived dependency on others. Participants were applicants to the UK charity 'Hearing Dogs for Deaf People'. Eligibility criteria were as follows: first-time applicant; applying for a hearing dog (as opposed to other support provided by the charity). Participants were randomised 1:1 to the following: receive a hearing dog sooner than usual [HD], or within the usual application timeframe (wait-list [WL] comparator). The primary outcome was mental well-being (Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale) 6 months (T1) after HD received a hearing dog. The cost-effectiveness analysis took a health and social care perspective.
RESULTS RESULTS
In total, 165 participants were randomised (HD n = 83, WL n = 82). A total of 112 (67.9%) were included in the primary analysis (HD n = 55, WL n = 57). At T1, mental well-being was significantly higher in the HD arm (adjusted mean difference 2.53, 95% CI 1.27 to 3.79, p < 0.001). Significant improvements in anxiety, depression, functioning, fearfulness/social isolation, and perceived dependency, favouring the HD arm, were also observed. On average, HD participants had used fewer statutory health and social care resources. In a scenario whereby costs of provision were borne by the public sector, hearing dogs do not appear to be value for money. If the public sector made a partial contribution, it is possible that hearing dogs would be cost-effective from a public sector perspective.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Hearing dogs appear to benefit recipients across a number of life domains, at least in the short term. Within the current funding model (costs entirely borne by the charity), hearing dogs are cost-effective from the public sector perspective. Whilst it would not be cost-effective to fully fund the provision of hearing dogs by the public sector, a partial contribution could be explored.
TRIAL REGISTRATION BACKGROUND
The trial was retrospectively registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) registry on 28.1.2019: ISRCTN36452009 .

Identifiants

pubmed: 34649618
doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05607-9
pii: 10.1186/s13063-021-05607-9
pmc: PMC8515662
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article Randomized Controlled Trial

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

700

Subventions

Organisme : School for Social Care Research
ID : C088/CM/UYYB-P111

Commentaires et corrections

Type : ErratumIn

Informations de copyright

© 2021. The Author(s).

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Auteurs

Lucy Stuttard (L)

Social Policy Research Unit, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Church Lane Building, York Science Park, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DF, UK. lucy.stuttard@york.ac.uk.

Philip Boyle (P)

Social Policy Research Unit, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Church Lane Building, York Science Park, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DF, UK.

Caroline Fairhurst (C)

York Trials Unit, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Catherine Hewitt (C)

York Trials Unit, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Francesco Longo (F)

Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Simon Walker (S)

Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Helen Weatherly (H)

Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK.

Emese Mayhew (E)

Social Policy Research Unit, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Church Lane Building, York Science Park, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DF, UK.

Bryony Beresford (B)

Social Policy Research Unit, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Church Lane Building, York Science Park, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DF, UK.

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