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New Approach to Objectively Measure Social Engagement in Older Adults With Hearing Loss

University of Southern California · NCT06781749

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 60+ · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Observational
Target enrollment
100
US sites recruiting
2
Study start
January 1, 2026
Record last updated
May 11, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if hearing devices, like hearing aids, affect social and cognitive function of older adults. The main questions the researchers want to answer are:

  • How social are older adults with hearing loss before and after using hearing devices?
  • How well do older adults with hearing loss think before and after using hearing devices?
  • For older adults who have hearing loss and use hearing devices, do changes in social interaction explain changes in how well they think (cognitive function)?
  • Do brainwaves (EEGs) in older adults with hearing loss change after using hearing devices?
  • Are there differences in how social older adults with hearing loss are compared to older adults without hearing loss?

What Participants Will Do

  • Participants will take questionnaires for around 60 minutes. Questionnaires will ask participants about their background, health, hearing, and how social they are. Another set of questionnaires will check their thinking ability or cognition.
  • Participants will wear an audio sensor (TILES Audio Recorder on Jelly Mobile phone) for 2 weeks. The sensor will collect and store information about a participant's voice during conversations. Once the device has information about a participant's voice such as pitch and tone it will store this information and delete the audio recording. Words spoken during conversations will be deleted.
  • (Optional) Participants can choose to participate in a 45-60-minute EEG (electroencephalogram) recording session. Participants will have sensors placed on top of their heads. Sensors will record the participants' brainwaves. Sounds will be played to see how participants' brainwaves change when they hear sounds. Eligible participants will be invited to participate in 4-month follow-up study.

Being studied: Hearing aid use

Conditions: Hearing Loss, Bilateral (Causes Other Than Tumors)

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age >= 60 years
  • English or Spanish speaking
  • Group 1- older adults with normal hearing defined as speech frequency PTA \<25dB HL in bilateral ears
  • Group 2- older adults with bilateral hearing loss who are not using hearing aids
  • Group 3- older adults with bilateral hearing loss, who are currently using hearing aids

Exclusion Criteria

  • Age \<60 years
  • Unable to complete questionnaires in English or Spanish

Recruiting US locations

  • Los Angeles General Medical Center

    Los Angeles, CA 90033

    Site contact: Janet Choi, MD, MPH · 323-442-5790 · janet.choi@med.usc.edu

  • University of Southern California

    Los Angeles, CA 90066

    Site contact: Janet Choi, MD, MPH · 323-442-5790 · janet.choi@med.usc.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Janet Choi, MD, MPH · 323-442-5790 · janet.choi@med.usc.edu
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New Approach to Objectively Measure Social Engagement in Older… (NCT06781749) | Bored Studies