ERIC Number: EJ930741
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0042-8639
EISSN: N/A
Concerns regarding Direct-to-Consumer Hearing Aid Purchasing
Kimball, Suzanne H.
Volta Review, v110 n3 p447-457 Fall 2010
An individual over age 18 can purchase a hearing aid online or through mail order if they sign a waiver declining a medical evaluation, while those under 18 are required to be seen by a physician to obtain medical consent. However, in many states there is nothing to prevent a parent or caregiver from purchasing hearing aids for their child from a direct-to-consumer distributor. Online purchasing of hearing aids may be particularly tempting for parents and caregivers due to the cost savings involved. This manuscript summarizes the results of three previously published studies that evaluated the effectiveness of online hearing aid distribution utilizing adult populations. These results are consistent with other investigations that suggest purchasing hearing aids through mail order or the Internet may carry potential health and amplification risks. Based on the outcomes of these three studies, implications of online purchases for children and adolescents are discussed.
Descriptors: Hearing Impairments, Purchasing, Assistive Technology, Risk, Adults, Auditory Tests, Internet, Accuracy, Case Studies, Experiments
Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 3417 Volta Place NW, Washington, DC 20007. Tel: 202-337-5220; Fax: 202-337-8314; e-mail: periodicals@agbell.org; Web site: http://www.agbell.org
Publication Type: Information Analyses; Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Illinois
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A