Pandey, P., Sharma, A., Portnuff, C., Sung-Joon, M., Cormier, K., Schimmel, C., Conard, S., Shukla, B., Swanepoel, D.W., Ng, E., & Manchaiah, V.
International Hearing Aid Conference (IHCON) at Banff, Alberta, Canada, August 2026.
Publication year: 2026

Introduction: The Quick Speech-in-Noise (QuickSIN) test, administered at suprathreshold levels, has emerged as a widely adopted clinical measure of speech-in-noise performance. Despite its clinical utility, prior research has reported relatively limited sensitivity to change following hearing aid intervention. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of QuickSIN as an outcome measure for hearing aid use. Method: The study combined prospective data from a clinical trial with retrospective data extracted from electronic health records (EHR). The clinical trial sample (n = 94), which included users of both prescription hearing aids (Rx HA) and self-fitting over-the-counter devices (OTC-SF), completed QuickSIN testing in unaided and acutely aided conditions (i.e., immediately post-fitting) at presentation levels of 47 and 70 dB HL. The clinical EHR sample (n = 52) comprised Rx HA users who completed unaided and aided QuickSIN testing at 60 dB(A) following 2–4 weeks of hearing aid use. Pearson correlation and paired sample t-test were used to analyze the data. Results: In the clinical trial sample, correlations between QuickSIN scores at 47- and 70-dB HL were weak in the unaided condition (r = 0.24, p = 0.02) and moderate in the aided condition (r = 0.47, p = 0.0001). Paired-sample t-tests indicated no significant difference between unaided and aided 1 IHCON 2026 QuickSIN scores at 70 dB HL (mean difference = 0.04 [worsened], p = 0.87, d = 0.02). In contrast, a statistically significant improvement with a medium effect size was observed at 47 dB HL (mean difference = 1.36, p = 0.001, d = 0.52), and 43.5% of participants demonstrated a clinically meaningful improvement (≥2 dB SNR) in the acutely aided condition. In the retrospective clinical sample, a statistically significant improvement in QuickSIN scores with a large effect size was observed between unaided and aided conditions (mean difference = 4.53 dB, p < 0.001, d = 1.13), with 75% of participants demonstrating a clinically meaningful improvement (≥2 dB SNR). Conclusion: These findings suggest that, with appropriate implementation (e.g., lower presentation levels), QuickSIN can serve as a clinically useful outcome measure for hearing aid benefit. The observed improvements are largely attributable to increased audibility, with potential contributions from change in outcome over time and differences in device type (e.g., Rx HA vs. OTC-SF). However, differences in effect sizes across conditions indicate that meaningful benefit following hearing aid use can be detected, particularly under conditions that are more sensitive to change.