<b>Community Health Worker-Delivered Over-the-counter Hearing Aids Reduce Depression Symptoms in Older Adults with Hearing Loss: </b><b>A multicentre randomized controlled trial</b>

Dataset of a randomized controlled trial to investigate the impact of community health worker-delivered over-the-counter hearing aid on depression symptoms in older adults with hearing loss.<b>Objective:</b> The objective of this randomised controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, delivered by community health workers (CHWs), in reducing depression symptoms in older adults with hearing loss.<b>Design, setting, and participants:</b> This community-based, multicenter, unblind randomized controlled trial was conducted between April 1 and December 14, 2023. A total of 221 community-dwelling adults aged 60 years or older, diagnosed with mild and moderate age-related hearing loss, and screened positive for depression symptoms were randomly assigned to either receive an OTC hearing aid immediately (intervention) or a waiting list (control) for OTC hearing aid receipt after 6 months in a 1:1 ratio.<b>Interventions:</b> In the intervention group, a commercially available OTC hearing aid was provided to participants in a community-based service model by community health workers. Participants in the control group were placed on a waiting list and given same opportunity to receive OTC hearing aid after 6 months.<b>Trial registration: </b>ChiCTR registry (ChiCTR2300069838)<br>