CAA 2025 Poster Session

University audiology clinics play a vital role in providing hearing healthcare and are typically located within academic institutions. These clinics provide clinical training for Doctor of Audiology students and offer services to the surrounding community.  

We explored the accessibility of these clinics in the following ways: logistics (e.g., scheduling), language services and materials (e.g., Deaf and Hard of Hearing, limited English proficiency), physical facilities (e.g., parking, ramps, elevators), public transportation (e.g., walking distance to bus and train stops, campus shuttle), financial (e.g., hearing aid bank programs, assistance), and gender (e.g., gender-neutral restrooms).

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe accessibility barriers for university audiology clinics
• Recommend ways to increase accessibility within university audiology clinics
• Differentiate between types of barriers that impact accessibility in university audiology clinics

The presentation is designed to help attendees understand the key stages of creating and executing a strategic plan, ensuring long-term success for both individuals and teams. The presentation breaks down the creation of a strategic plan into three stages: Creation, Implementation, Execution, and Maintenance. In the creation stage, attendees learn about identifying goals, defining strategies, and creating action items. Tools like the Why's method are introduced to help uncover the root of goals, encouraging participants to think deeply about their motivations.    

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe why a strategic plan is important
• Differentiate an annual plan from a strategic plan
• Implement your strategic plan within the practice

The primary aim of our study is to characterize the auditory processing profile of children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). We also aim to investigate the relationship between auditory processing deficits and language, reading, and writing skills in this population. In this poster, we will present pilot data analyzing frequently observed APD signs and their categorization into APD types. Identifying these deficits will inform personalized interventions to enhance educational support for children with NF1 and expand the limited literature on their auditory processing profile.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe the auditory processing deficits commonly observed in children with NF1.
• Explain how APD in children with NF1 can be categorized using Central Test Battery (Buffalo Model)
• Analyze the relationship between auditory processing and literacy in children with NF1.            

How does speech recognition in background noise depend on the spectro-temporal composition of the noise envelope? Several noise-types are in use by audiologists to assess speech recognition in patients including stationary and fluctuating noises. Some of them are designed to take into account characteristic temporal aspects of the speech envelope, such as limiting the pause duration in the signal to less than 250 ms. However, few systematic analyses of the combined role of spectral and temporal modulations of the noise envelope have been done.  

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the distinction between noises used in audiometric evaluations.
• Explain the performance variables for noise across normal hearing subjects.
• Describe the performance variables for noise across subjects with hearing loss. 

Our clinic implemented automated audiometry to address an influx of new patient referrals for hearing evaluations, aiming to reduce wait times, manage the referral backlog, and improve patient flow. Automated testing was delegated to medical assistants, with audiologists conducting follow-up consultations over the phone, providing timely access to hearing care while allowing audiologists to focus on complex cases. As automated hearing assessment technology emerges, it should be evaluated by clinical teams as a valuable tool for resource allocation and patient management. In this project, patients were triaged by medical complexity, with routine cases managed by automated audiometry, while those with complex needs were directed to audiologists. Key outcome measures included patient wait times, clinic revenue, and staff workload. 

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe the difference between automated audiometry and conventional audiometry
• Compare patient experience and satisfaction from automated audiometry to traditional audiometry
• Analyze how automated audiometry can be used to improve audiology access for adult patients

This pilot experimental study examines the efficacy of two passive musician’s earplugs in preserving speech while in the presence of background noise. Consumers rely on the noise reduction rating (NRR) when selecting a hearing protective device. However, individual variations in hearing sensitivity and outer hair cell function may also affect earplug performance beyond what NRR indicates. This study aims to determine whether the individual’s hearing profile predicts their subjective evaluation of earplug effectiveness and their preference between different earplugs models. 

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to

• Recognize the importance of an individual's hearing profile beyond hearing loss.
• Develop protocols to help individuals make appropriate selections of hearing protective devices.
• Discuss the hearing profile's role when making earplug recommendations.
   

The presentation on Block Scheduling emphasizes the importance of implementing a structured scheduling system to improve productivity and revenue in a practice. The core idea behind block scheduling is dividing the practice schedule into specific blocks allocated for certain activities, such as revenue-generating appointments and non-revenue tasks. This approach ensures that high-priority activities have dedicated space, preventing the schedule from being overwhelmed by less critical appointments.  

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe the benefits of block scheduling
• Assess their current schedule structure and develop a block schedule for their practice.
• Apply guidelines for team alignment with balancing schedules.
   

Labyrinthine disorders encompass a range of inner ear conditions impacting balance and hearing. Understanding the prevalence of specific vestibular diagnoses and associated co-morbidities is crucial for effective clinical management and resource allocation.  

In this retrospective study, we analyzed data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program to identify participants with a recorded diagnosis of labyrinthine disorder. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the five most prevalent specific vestibular diagnoses within this cohort. We also examined the prevalence of self-reported difficulties with hearing, concentration/memory, and walking/climbing stairs.  

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• List the five most common specific vestibular diagnoses identified in the large All of Us cohort.
• Compare the prevalence of self-reported difficulties in individuals with labyrinthine disorders.
• Discuss the potential implications of the findings for clinical assessment.
   

The US Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids (HAs) for consumers in October, 2022. An underlying assumption of OTC HAs is that consumers can set up and manage the devices themselves. However, some older adults may struggle with the self-fitting process, particularly if they do not have experience with technology or with traditional HAs. This study investigates the abilities of older adults to independently and effectively self-fit a pair of commercially-available OTC HAs.  

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Determine OTC HA candidacy if presented with an audiogram.
• Counsel patients regarding the difference between OTC HAs and prescription HAs.
• Recommend an OTC HA to patients who meet candidacy criteria
   

A brief overview of what central auditory processing is and its placement in the context of a multidisciplinary arena will be presented. This presentation will identify the auditory processes, their impact upon learning and listening and the appropriate treatments when deficits are identified. A  screening test, The Pitch Discrimination Test, will be presented (Abramson and Lloyd, JAAA,2016). This test can be used for children as young as four years of age.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Name and understand the Central Auditory Processes and their tests
• Identify the deficit- specific treatments for central auditory processing disorders
• Describe the Pitch Discrimination Test and it's importance 

The FDA's introduction of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids in 2022 aimed to address the cost and access barrier associated with traditional hearing aids for adults, by offering customizable features like wireless connectivity and self-assessment tests without a prescription from a hearing care professional. However, the success of OTC hearing aids and its candidacy still need further research. This study explores how cognitive abilities influence the preference between self-fitting and preset OTC hearing aid styles. This poster will discuss the relationship between cognitive ability and OTC hearing aid fitting preferences. These findings provide insight into how specific cognitive skills influence the success of self-fitting methods and highlight the importance of considering cognitive function when recommending OTC hearing aids. 

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe the study methodology used to examine the relationship between cognition and OTC fitting.
• Use study findings to recommend personalized OTC hearing aids based on patient traits.
• Assess if cognitive ability influences preference for self-fitting or preset options.
   

Audiologists encounter patients with bothersome tinnitus almost in all clinical settings. Since 1996, several modalities have been developed by various investigators to alleviate the effect of tinnitus on patients’ lives. However, many audiologists do not receive adequate clinical training at their AuD programs to effectively manage tinnitus patients. This presentation will describe 4 different methods: Tinnitus retraining therapy, Neuromonics, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for tinnitus, and Lenire. 

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Describe various methods of treating tinnitus
• Formulate which method of treatment is appropriate for a specific patient
• Analyze clinical cases with different approaches after comparing the outcome measures
   

This study examines the relationship between subjective questionnaire responses and behavioral diagnostic outcomes in adults suspected of having Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). The primary objective is to determine whether self-reported auditory processing struggles align with clinical CAPD diagnoses and identify symptom patterns related to CAPD diagnostic findings. The findings will provide insights into the behavioral, social, and emotional implications of CAPD, potentially influencing personalized treatment and raising awareness about CAPD’s impact on quality of life.   

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Discuss what Central Auditory Processing is.
• Explain the purpose of analyzing the link between questionnaire responses and diagnostic findings
• Identify the effectiveness of using questionnaires to detect symptoms of CAPD.