PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON A COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS OF THE ACHIEVE HEARING INTERVENTION - Preliminary results

Sep 29, 2026

Cost-effectiveness evidence from the ACHIEVE randomized controlled trial evaluates a best-practices hearing intervention to mitigate cognitive decline over three years using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Among 977 adults aged 70–84 with untreated mild-to-moderate hearing loss, the intervention group (n=490) received audiologist-fitted hearing aids, assistive devices, counseling, and ongoing support versus a successful aging health education control (n=487). From the provider perspective, costs included professional services and technology. MMSE decline was smaller by 0.28 points, with an estimated ICER of $13,917.76 per MMSE point preserved, at an average cost of $3,900.53 per participant.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study design and participants

Intervention, control, and outcomes

Costs and ICER results

Comparative interpretation

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 475 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1624 PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON A COST-EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS OF THE ACHIEVE HEARING INTERVENTION Emmanuel Garcia Morales1, Victoria Sanchez2, Haley Calloway2, Laura Sherry3, Michelle Arnold2, James Pike4, and Nicholas Reed5, 1. New York University Langone Health, New York, New York, United States, 2. University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, 3. Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 4. New York University, New York, New York, United States, 5. New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, United States This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of a best-practices hearing intervention in mitigating cognitive decline, measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, over three years in the ACHIEVE trial (NCT03243422). ACHIEVE, a randomized controlled trial, compared a hearing intervention toa successful aging health education control group among older adults with hearing loss. We enrolled 977 adults (70-84 years) with untreated mild-to-moderate hearing loss from four U.S. sites. Participants were randomized to the intervention (N = 490) or control group (N = 487). The intervention included audiologist-fitted hearing aids, assistive devices, counseling, and ongoing support, while the control group received health education on aging. Costs were assessed from the provider’s perspective, covering professional services and technology. Three years post-randomization, MMSE scores declined less in the intervention group by 0.28 points (95% CI: 0.01-0.55). The intervention cost an average of $3,900.53 per participant, including $692.22 for professional services and $3,208.31 for technology. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was estimated at $13,917.76 per MMSE point preserved. The ACHIEVE intervention, a non-pharmacologic, low-r∼isk approach, showed a modest cognitive benefit at a cost of $14K per MMSE point over three years. Comparatively, anti-amyloid drug treatments have reported an ICER of $60,516.82/MMSE over 76 weeks. These findings support the potential role of hearing interventionsin cognitive health strategies and inform evidence-based decision-making.

FAQs

What does the study evaluate in the ACHIEVE trial?

The study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of a best-practices hearing intervention for mitigating cognitive decline measured by MMSE scores over three years.

How were participants assigned to study groups and what did each group receive?

977 adults aged 70–84 with untreated mild-to-moderate hearing loss were randomized to the intervention group (n=490) or control group (n=487). The intervention included hearing aids, assistive devices, counseling, and ongoing support, while the control received successful aging health education.

What were the key economic findings after three years?

The intervention group showed a smaller MMSE decline (difference of 0.28 points) and an estimated ICER of $13,917.76 per MMSE point preserved. Average intervention cost was $3,900.53 per participant, including $692.22 for professional services and $3,208.31 for technology.

Sep 29, 2026

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