Updated Guidelines for Best Practice in the Audiological Management of Adults with Severe and Profound Hearing Loss
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: For the purposes of these guidelines, the following World Health Organization definitions apply:• Severe hearing loss: an average hearing threshold of 61 to 80 dB HL (ISO) in the better ear.• Profound hearing loss: an average hearing threshold of 81 dB HL (ISO) or greater in the better ear.• Adult: any individual aged 19 years or older.• Best practice: a technique or methodology that, through experience and research, has been shown to reliably achieve the desired outcome.These guidelines focus on adults with severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss in the better ear.Conductive hearing loss is largely excluded.Individuals with precipitous or asymmetrical hearing loss are included when the better ear meets the threshold for severe hearing loss.Associated characteristics of severe and profound sensorineural hearing loss, such as marked recruitment and tinnitus, are also considered.Each section addresses both acquired and congenital hearing loss and is relevant to adults who use either spoken language or sign language.• Appendix 1-Evidence: Summary tables of evidence applicable to each recommendation (from first and second editions) • Appendix 2-Bibliography: Divided into new evidence (2020-2025, listed alphabetically) and previous evidence (all references from version 1 of the guideline, listed alphabetically).• Appendix 3-Toolkit tables: Signposting to practical tools relevant to each topic.• Appendix 4-Clinical checklists: Resources for professionals and services to benchmark current practice against the recommendations and develop action plans for compliance.
Source: Seminars in Hearing
Institutions: NHS Tayside, The University of Queensland, Sonova (Switzerland), Dalhousie University, University of Cambridge, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Flinders University, University of Manchester, University of Pretoria, University of Auckland, Northwestern University, University of Colorado Anschutz, The University of Texas at Dallas
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7223666686