scholarly journals A Novel Auditory-Cognitive Training App for Delaying or Preventing the Onset of Dementia: Participatory Design With Stakeholders

10.2196/19880 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. e19880
Author(s):  
Emily Frost ◽  
Talya Porat ◽  
Paresh Malhotra ◽  
Lorenzo Picinali
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Cognitive Disorder ◽  
App Development ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Listening In Noise ◽  
Attentional Tasks

Background Multiple gaming apps exist under the dementia umbrella for skills such as navigation; however, an app to specifically investigate the role of hearing loss in the process of cognitive decline is yet to be designed. There is a demonstrable gap in the utilization of games to further the knowledge of the potential relationship between hearing loss and dementia. Objective This study aims to identify the needs, facilitators, and barriers in designing a novel auditory-cognitive training gaming app. Methods A participatory design approach was used to engage key stakeholders across audiology and cognitive disorder specialties. Two rounds, including paired semistructured interviews and focus groups, were completed and thematically analyzed. Results A total of 18 stakeholders participated, and 6 themes were identified to inform the next stage of app development. These included congruence with hobbies, life getting in the way, motivational challenge, accessibility, addictive competition, and realism. Conclusions The findings can now be implemented in the development of the app. The app will be evaluated against outcome measures of speech listening in noise, cognitive and attentional tasks, quality of life, and usability.

scholarly journals A Novel Auditory-Cognitive Training App for Delaying or Preventing the Onset of Dementia: Participatory Design With Stakeholders (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Frost ◽  
Talya Porat ◽  
Paresh Malhotra ◽  
Lorenzo Picinali
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Cognitive Training ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Cognitive Disorder ◽  
App Development ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Listening In Noise ◽  
Attentional Tasks

BACKGROUND Multiple gaming apps exist under the dementia umbrella for skills such as navigation; however, an app to specifically investigate the role of hearing loss in the process of cognitive decline is yet to be designed. There is a demonstrable gap in the utilization of games to further the knowledge of the potential relationship between hearing loss and dementia. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify the needs, facilitators, and barriers in designing a novel auditory-cognitive training gaming app. METHODS A participatory design approach was used to engage key stakeholders across audiology and cognitive disorder specialties. Two rounds, including paired semistructured interviews and focus groups, were completed and thematically analyzed. RESULTS A total of 18 stakeholders participated, and 6 themes were identified to inform the next stage of app development. These included congruence with hobbies, life getting in the way, motivational challenge, accessibility, addictive competition, and realism. CONCLUSIONS The findings can now be implemented in the development of the app. The app will be evaluated against outcome measures of speech listening in noise, cognitive and attentional tasks, quality of life, and usability.

scholarly journals Finding legitimacy for the role of budget impact in drug reimbursement decisions

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (01) ◽  
pp. 49-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maartje G. H. Niezen ◽  
Antoinette de Bont ◽  
Jan J. V. Busschbach ◽  
Joshua P. Cohen ◽  
Elly A. Stolk
Keyword(s):  
Loss Aversion ◽  
Equal Opportunity ◽  
Budget Impact ◽  
Severity Of Illness ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Drug Reimbursement ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Impact Estimate

Objectives:Research has shown that effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and severity of illness each play a role in drug reimbursement decisions. However, the role of budget impact in such decisions is less obvious. Policy makers almost always demand a budget impact estimate yet seem reluctant to formally include budget impact as a rationing criterion. Health economists even reject budget impact as a legitimate criterion. For these reasons, it is important to examine its use in rationing decisions, and rationales underlying its use.Methods:We trace several rationales supporting the use of budget impact through a literature review, supplemented by semistructured interviews with eleven key stakeholders involved in drug reimbursement decisions in the Netherlands.Results:Budget impact arguments are used in certain instances, although policy makers appear uncomfortable with its use because well described rationales still are lacking. In addition, we identify the following rationales to support budget impact as a rationing criterion: opportunity costs, loss aversion, uncertainty and equal opportunity.Conclusions:Budget impact plays a role in drug reimbursement decisions and has rationales to support its use. However, policy makers do not easily admit that they consider budget impact and are even reluctant to explicitly use budget impact as a formal criterion. A debate would strengthen the theoretical foundation of budget impact as a legitimate criterion in the context of drug reimbursement decisions. Such discussion of budget impact's role will also enhance policy-makers' accountability.

Self-Stigma and Age-Related Hearing Loss: A Qualitative Study of Stigma Formation and Dimensions

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana David ◽  
Gil Zoizner ◽  
Perla Werner
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Process Formation ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Hearing Devices ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Purpose This study explored experiences of self-stigma among older persons with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) using Corrigan's conceptualization of self-stigma process formation and the attribution model as its theoretical framework. Method In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 older persons (mean age = 81 years) with ARHL. Results Self-stigma was present in the lives of the participants. Analysis revealed the existence of 3 stages of self-stigma in which the 3 core dimensions of stigma (cognitive attributions: being old, stupid, and crippled; emotional reactions: shame, pity, and feeling ridiculed; and behavioral reactions: concealment, distancing, and adapting to hearing aids) were observed. Hearing devices emerged as having a significant influence on stigmatic experiences in all stages and dimensions of self-stigma. Conclusion The study contributes to the theoretical and practical understanding of self-stigma regarding ARHL as well as to the understanding of the role of hearing devices in the development of this stigma.

Moderating Role of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in the Relationship Between Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Among Patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 753-772
Author(s):  
Ammar Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Aqeel ◽  
Tanvir Akhtar ◽  
Sammeen Salim ◽  
Bashir Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Psychological Problems ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Adaptation Level ◽  
Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽  
Neuropsychological Theory ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

Adaptation level theory of tinnitus and neuropsychological theory of tinnitus are extensively used frameworks for understanding emotional and psychological distress among tinnitus sufferers. Objective of the present study was to investigate potential associations between hearing loss, tinnitus, anxiety, depression, and stress. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (Newman, Jacobson, & Spitzer, 1996) and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995)scales were administered to a sample of 110 tinnitus outpatients recruited from Audiology departments of Lahore and Rawalpindi hospitals. Results revealed tinnitus was positively linked with psychological problems. Additionally, it was established that tinnitus is a positive significant predictor for anxiety, stress and depression. The moderation models related to the interactions between psychological problems and hearing loss were negative significant predictors for tinnitus symptoms. Moreover, the comparative analysis between gender differences revealed a significant diversity in the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Results also elucidated that patients at initial stages of hearing loss were more prone towards reporting tinnitus symptoms along with emerging psychological problems.

The role of N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide in subjects with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a paradigm of its vascular function

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 620-621
Author(s):  
Francesca Cortese ◽  
Nicola Quaranta ◽  
Pietro Scicchitano ◽  
Maria Felicia Faienza ◽  
Vito Pontillo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Natriuretic Peptide ◽  
Vascular Function ◽  
Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing

Role of Genetic Factors in the Causation of Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss (NSHL) in Indian Population

2020 ◽  
Vol 04 (06) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shehnaz Sultana ◽  
Pratibha Nallari ◽  
Venkateshwari Ananthapur
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Indian Population ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Syndromic Hearing Loss

A Critical Role of the Insula in Sensorineural Hearing Loss

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Min Xu ◽  
Yun Jiao ◽  
Tianyu Tang ◽  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Chunqiang Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing Loss ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Sensorineural Hearing

MicroRNAs in Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and their Regulation by Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 1216-1224
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Forouzanfar ◽  
Samira Asgharzade
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hair Cell ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Sensory Cells ◽  
Noise Induced Hearing Loss ◽  
Irreversible Damage ◽  
Open Access Journals

Noise exposure (NE) has been recognized as one of the causes of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), which can bring about irreversible damage to sensory hair cells in the cochlea, through the launch of oxidative stress pathways and inflammation. Accordingly, determining the molecular mechanism involved in regulating hair cell apoptosis via NE is essential to prevent hair cell damage. However, the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the degeneration of sensory cells of the cochlea during NE has not been so far uncovered. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to demonstrate the regulatory role of miRNAs in the oxidative stress pathway and inflammation induced by NE. In this respect, articles related to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), oxidative stress, inflammation, and miRNA from various databases of Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), Google Scholar, PubMed; Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), and Web of Science were searched and retrieved. The findings revealed that several studies had suggested that up-regulation of miR-1229-5p, miR-451a, 185-5p, 186 and down-regulation of miRNA-96/182/183 and miR-30b were involved in oxidative stress and inflammation which could be used as biomarkers for NIHL. There was also a close relationship between NIHL and miRNAs, but further research is required to prove a causal association between miRNA alterations and NE, and also to determine miRNAs as biomarkers indicating responses to NE.

Case study 2

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewan Ferlie ◽  
Sue Dopson ◽  
Chris Bennett ◽  
Michael D. Fischer ◽  
Jean Ledger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Informal Networks ◽  
Think Tank ◽  
Significant Potential ◽  
Key Stakeholders

This chapter analyses the role of think tanks in generating a distinctive mode of policy knowledge, pragmatically orientated to inform and shape issues of importance to civil society. Drawing on political science literature, we argue that think tanks exploit niche areas of expertise and influence to actively mobilize policy analyses and recommendations across diverse stakeholders. Through our exploratory mapping of think tanks, geographically concentrated within London, we characterize their influence as significantly boosting knowledge intensity across the regional ecosystem. In particular, we study the empirical case of one London-based think tank which powerfully mobilized policy knowledge through its formal and informal networks to build influential expert consensus amongst key stakeholders. We conclude that such organizations act as key knowledge producers and mobilizers, with significant potential to influence policy discourses and implementation.

Images of the Hospice

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Baron ◽  
John Hassard ◽  
Fiona Cheetham ◽  
Sudi Sharifi
Keyword(s):  
General Public ◽  
Palliative Medicine ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Hospice Care ◽  
Care Work ◽  
Dirty Work ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Host Organization ◽  
Local Healthcare

This chapter looks ‘outside’ the Hospice at issues of the organization’s image. The authors talked to staff, volunteers, and members of the general public, as well as to a number of key stakeholders in the local healthcare community, in order to gauge their views on the host organization. The analysis examines the problems associated with the image of hospices and discusses attempts of staff and volunteers to ‘dispel the myths’ about the nature of hospice care work—a form of labour which potentially runs the risk of being characterized as ‘dirty work’. The chapter then examines how the Hospice is seen in the eyes of other healthcare professionals and discusses the choice of palliative medicine as a career for junior medics. Finally it discusses a degree of ‘confusion’ that staff and volunteers claim exists in the minds of GPs and consultants in specialist cancer hospitals about the role of hospices.

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