scholarly journals Knowledge of Hearing Loss among University Students Pursuing Careers in Health Care

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (04) ◽  
pp. 273-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika S. Squires ◽  
Lori A. Pakulski ◽  
Jennifer Glassman ◽  
Emily Diehm
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Health Care Students ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Medicine Physician ◽  
Provision Of Services ◽  
Hearing Health

AbstractAlbeit limited, research suggests that students pursuing careers in health care receive limited training on the provision of services for people with hearing loss. As the incidence of hearing loss continues to increase among Americans, it is critical that medical professionals understand how hearing loss among patients may affect the manner in which they can provide services most effectively.The aim of this project is to assess the amount of experience and confidence that preprofessional health-care students at one university obtain during the course of their training and whether these students would be interested in additional information related to hearing health.Preprofessional health-care students in terminal degree programs at one university completed a survey regarding the provision of services for individuals with hearing loss. Students were asked to quantify their prior training on topics related to hearing loss, report their perceptions of the benefits and barriers to screening hearing, and report their self-efficacy in providing services for individuals with hearing loss. Additional survey items investigated students’ interest in receiving further training on these topics.Participants (n = 95; 16.2% response rate) were students at a mid-sized, Midwestern university who were pursuing the following terminal degrees: medicine, physician assistant, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and respiratory therapy (bachelor’s degree in respiratory care). Participants were selected based on membership in an interdisciplinary education training program. All students in this program received an invitation to participate in the study. Of the participants, 68 (71.6%) were Caucasian and 86 (90.5%) were female.A 28-item online survey on various topics related to hearing loss was used to document student responses. All students enrolled in a university’s interdisciplinary professional education course (n = 586) received an online link to the survey via an initial email, which contained a brief introduction to the study, the assurance of response anonymity, and a statement regarding implied consent. A second email was sent to students, which reminded participants of the request to complete the survey.Overall, 60% of participants reported an interest in receiving additional information on hearing health and 66.3% of respondents indicated that they wished to receive training via an in-service or internet workshop facilitated by their university program. Most of the participants reported that they had not received training and did not feel confident identifying the signs and symptoms of hearing loss and making an appropriate referral, which led to the request for additional information.The results of this study suggest that preprofessional health-care students have an interest in receiving additional education on various topics related to hearing loss including a better understanding of how hearing loss impacts the quality of life in affected individuals. These findings provide an incentive to provide additional training related to hearing loss identification and management for preprofessional health-care students to foster increased competency and improved patient care.

scholarly journals Promoting healthy hearing over the lifespan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. Hall III
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Test Battery ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Comorbid Conditions ◽  
Specific Test ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Central Auditory Function ◽  
Hearing Health ◽  
Age Related Hearing Loss

Background and Aim: Comorbid conditions and unhealthy lifestyles are risk factors for auditory dysfunction, including age-related hearing loss. With a focus on adults, this paper describes a new approach to hearing health care that aims to prevent or mitigate hearing loss and related disorders, like tinnitus. Accurate diagnosis and effective management of hearing loss is best achieved with a patient-specific test battery that includes sensitive measures of peripheral and central auditory function. Background and Aim: Comorbid conditions and unhealthy lifestyles are risk factors for auditory dysfunction, including age-related hearing loss. With a focus on adults, this paper describes a new approach to hearing health care that aims to prevent or mitigate hearing loss and related disorders, like tinnitus. Accurate diagnosis and effective management of hearing loss is best achieved with a patient-specific test battery that includes sensitive measures of peripheral and central auditory function. Conclusion: The traditional model for hearing health care service delivery relies on a rather outdated and simplistic protocol for evaluating and describing hearing loss, and a technologyfocused approach for management. This paper offers an evidence-based rationale for expanding the test battery for diagnosing hearing loss, and a multidisciplinary intervention approach.   Keywords: Comorbid conditions; smoking; diet; value-added tests

Auditory Risk to Unprotected Bystanders Exposed to Firearm Noise

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (02) ◽  
pp. 093-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory A. Flamme ◽  
Michael Stewart ◽  
Deanna Meinke ◽  
James Lankford ◽  
Per Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Poor Agreement ◽  
Acoustic Characteristics ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Hearing Health ◽  
Damage Risk

Background: What is the risk of hearing loss for someone standing next to a shooter? Friends, spouses, children, and other shooters are often present during hunting and recreational shooting activities, and these bystanders seem likely to underestimate the hazard posed by noise from someone else's firearm. Hunters use hearing protection inconsistently, and there is little reason to expect higher use rates among bystanders. Acoustic characteristics and estimates of auditory risk from gunfire noise next to the shooter were assessed in this study. Research Design: This was a descriptive study of auditory risk at the position of a bystander near a recreational firearm shooter. Data Collection and Analysis: Recordings of impulses from 15 recreational firearms were obtained 1 m to the left of the shooter outdoors away from reflective surfaces. Recordings were made using a pressure-calibrated 1/4 inch measurement microphone and digitally sampled at 195 kHz (24 bit depth). The acoustic characteristics of these impulses were examined, and auditory risk estimates were obtained using three contemporary damage-risk criteria (DRCs) for unprotected listeners. Results: Instantaneous peak levels at the bystander location ranged between 149 and 167 dB SPL, and 8 hr equivalent continuous levels (LeqA8) ranged between 64 and 83 dB SPL. Poor agreement was obtained across the three DRCs, and the DRC that was most conservative varied with the firearm. The most conservative DRC for each firearm permitted no unprotected exposures to most rifle impulses and fewer than 10 exposures to impulses from most shotguns and the single handgun included in this study. More unprotected exposures were permitted for the guns with smaller cartridges and longer barrel length. Conclusions: None of the recreational firearms included in this study produced sound levels that would be considered safe for all unprotected listeners. The DRCs revealed that only a few of the small-caliber rifles and the smaller-gauge shotguns permitted more than a few shots for the average unprotected listener. This finding is important for professionals involved in hearing health care and the shooting sports because laypersons are likely to consider the bystander location to be inherently less risky because it is farther from the gun than the shooter.

scholarly journals Surrounded by Sound: The Impact of Tinnitus on Musicians

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 9036
Author(s):  
Georgina Burns-O’Connell ◽  
David Stockdale ◽  
Oscar Cassidy ◽  
Victoria Knowles ◽  
Derek J. Hoare
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
General Population ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Professional Musicians ◽  
Professional Musician ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Hearing Health ◽  
The Impact

AIM: To investigate the impact of tinnitus on professional musicians in the UK. BACKGROUND: Tinnitus is the experience of sound when an external source is absent, primarily associated with the ageing process, hearing loss, and noise exposure. Amongst populations exposed to industrial noise, noise exposure and noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) have been found to be the factors most associated with tinnitus. The risk of NIHL amongst professional musicians is greater than that amongst the general population, meaning they may be at increased risk of tinnitus. METHODS: Seventy-four professional musicians completed an online survey involving closed and open-ended questions, and completed the Tinnitus fuctional Index (TFI) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of open-ended qualitative responses were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Three themes were generated from the analysis of the responses to the open-ended questions. These themes were: (1) the impact of tinnitus on the lives of professional musicians, (2) professional musician experience of tinnitus services, support, and hearing health and safety, and (3) the support professional musicians want. The mean global TFI score for professional musicians was 39.05, interpreted as tinnitus being a moderate problem. Comparisons with general population data revealed lower TFI scores for the TFI subscales of ‘sense of control’ and ‘intrusiveness’ for professional musicians and higher for auditory difficulties associated with tinnitus amongst professional musicians. CONCLUSION: Tinnitus can negatively impact on professional musicians’ lives. There is a need for bespoke self-help groups, awareness raising, and education to prevent tinnitus and promote hearing health among musicians.

scholarly journals Patient Uptake, Experience, and Satisfaction Using Web-Based and Face-to-Face Hearing Health Services: Process Evaluation Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Husmita Ratanjee-Vanmali ◽  
De Wet Swanepoel ◽  
Ariane Laplante-Lévesque
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Hearing Screening ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Hearing Health

BACKGROUND Globally, access to hearing health care is a growing concern with 900 million people estimated to suffer from disabling hearing loss by 2050. Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health conditions, yet access to hearing health care is limited. Incorporating Web-based (voice calling, messaging, or emailing) service delivery into current treatment pathways could improve access and allow for better scalability of services. Current electronic health studies in audiology have focused on technical feasibility, sensitivity, and specificity of diagnostic hearing testing and not on patient satisfaction, experiences, and sustainable models along the entire patient journey. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate a hybrid (Web-based and face-to-face) hearing health service in terms of uptake, experience, and satisfaction in adult patients with hearing loss. METHODS A nonprofit hearing research clinic using online and face-to-face services was implemented in Durban, South Africa, using online recruitment from the clinic’s Facebook page and Google AdWords, which directed persons to an online Web-based hearing screening test. Web-based and face-to-face care pathways included assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation. To evaluate the service, an online survey comprising (1) a validated satisfaction measurement tool (Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction), (2) a process evaluation of all the 5 steps completed, and (3) personal preferences of communication methods used vs methods preferred was conducted, which was sent to 46 patients who used clinic services. RESULTS Of the patients invited, 67% (31/46) completed the survey with mean age 66 years, (SD 16). Almost all patients, 92% (30/31) reported that the online screening test assisted them in seeking hearing health care. Approximately 60% (18/31) of the patients accessed the online hearing screening test from an Android device. Patients stayed in contact with the audiologist mostly through WhatsApp instant messaging (27/31, 87%), and most patients (25/31, 81%) preferred to use this method of communication. The patients continuing with hearing health care were significantly older and had significantly poorer speech recognition abilities compared with the patients who discontinued seeking hearing health care. A statistically significant positive result (<i>P</i>=.007) was found between age and the number of appointments per patient. Around 61% (19/31) of patients previously completed diagnostic testing at other practices, with 95% (18/19) rating the services at the hybrid clinic as better. The net promoter score was 87, indicating that patients were highly likely to recommend the hybrid clinic to friends and family. CONCLUSIONS This study applied Web-based and face-to-face components into a hybrid clinic and measured an overall positive experience with high patient satisfaction through a process evaluation. The findings support the potential of a hybrid clinic with synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication to be a scalable hearing health care model, addressing the needs of adults with hearing loss globally.

Understanding Hearing Loss and Barriers to Hearing Health Care Among Korean American Older Adults: A Focus Group Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 1344-1367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet S. Choi ◽  
Kyoo S. Shim ◽  
Kunhwa Kim ◽  
Carrie L. Nieman ◽  
Sara K. Mamo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Korean American ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Hearing Health ◽  
Older Korean Americans

Hearing loss is associated with an accelerated decline in social, cognitive, and physical functioning among older adults. However, little is known about its impact and barriers to hearing health care in any ethnic minorities. The aim of this study was to explore experiences related to hearing loss and barriers to hearing health care among older Korean Americans (KAs). We conducted four focus groups with 19 older KAs with hearing loss and four communication partners. Qualitative content analysis revealed four themes: (a) impact of hearing loss, (b) self-perception of hearing loss, (c) coping strategies for hearing loss, and (d) barriers to hearing health care (price, language, lack of collaborative communications, perceptions about hearing aids, and lack of knowledge). Older KAs were significantly impacted by hearing loss but tended not to seek care due to multiple factors. Culturally tailored hearing interventions are urgently needed to promote hearing health in the KA community.

Toward Interprofessional Education of Pharmacogenomics: An Interdisciplinary Assessment

Pharmacology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Alaa Yehya ◽  
Laila Matalgah
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Interprofessional Education ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Pharmacy Students ◽  
Previous Knowledge ◽  
Health Care Students ◽  
Related Literature ◽  
Interdisciplinary Field ◽  
Interdisciplinary Assessment ◽  
Level Of Knowledge

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Pharmacogenomics, which emerged from disciplines such as pharmacology and genetics, is an increasingly important interdisciplinary field of health research, as indicated by the rapid growth of related literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge among genetics and pharmacology health-care students and to evaluate their exposure to and perceptions of pharmacogenomics. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> An anonymous, 28-item online survey was distributed to medical and pharmacy students enrolled at Yarmouk University, Jordan. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The respondents (<i>n</i> = 300) had an overall moderate level of knowledge regarding genetics and pharmacology. Most respondents recognized the benefits of pharmacogenomics for therapy optimization, but they had insufficient exposure to the topic. Most respondents supported providing pharmacogenetic testing in Jordan. The most preferred educational format in pharmacogenomics was integration in pharmacology courses. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> Medical and pharmacy students are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of pharmacogenomics in therapy optimization. Challenges such as the complexity of the topic and low retention of previous knowledge should be addressed to promote pharmacogenomics education. More work is needed to increase students’ exposure to pharmacogenomics information. A deeper integration of pharmacogenomics applications into pharmacology courses is proposed to emphasize applications of pharmacogenomics.

Hearing Health Care Delivery Outside the Booth

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Kathy Gates ◽  
Quintin A. Hecht ◽  
Marjorie A. M. Grantham ◽  
Andrew J. Fallon ◽  
Malisha Martukovich
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Delivery ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Technical Specifications ◽  
Hearing Health

Purpose The purpose of this review article is to discuss how boothless audiometry may help address changes in hearing health care services and provide progressive tools to expand beyond traditional audiology clinic visits. The primary drivers for these changes include the COVID-19 pandemic, our aging population, comorbid effects of unidentified hearing loss, and the critical need for effective communication between patients and providers. This review article highlights key features and technical specifications of boothless audiometry, provides an overview of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved boothless audiometry products, and describes how to leverage these products to increase access to hearing health services across the continuum of health care. Method Boothless audiometry literature was reviewed using PubMed and audiometry technology websites. FDA-approved boothless audiometry products were reviewed, and audiological features were categorized. Civilian and Department of Defense subject matter experts were consulted. Conclusions Boothless audiometry technology introduces opportunities for early audiometric assessment outside of the audiology clinic, in settings where traditional testing has been less possible, or even impossible, such as military environments, clinic waiting areas, schools, and nursing homes. This technology allows health care providers to identify individuals with significant hearing loss early and seek comprehensive services to prevent and treat hearing loss. By expanding the current hearing health care delivery model via boothless audiometry technology, the following benefits may be achieved, which can result in better outcomes overall: increased access to care, early identification and treatment of hearing loss, and reduced impact from the comorbid effects of hearing impairment.

scholarly journals The Hearing Health Care Journey: Putting Beans in Your Cups

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (01) ◽  
pp. 068-078
Author(s):  
Michael A. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Customer Journey ◽  
Hearing Instruments ◽  
Hearing Health ◽  
Specific Individual

AbstractOne of the areas MarkeTrak has explored is the customer journey through hearing health care. The survey has asked question regarding how long they had a hearing loss before they took some type of action, where did they start their journey, why did they obtain hearing instruments or not, and what the hearing instruments cost. To put that journey in perspective, this article looks at the journey of one specific individual and explores their attitudes about their hearing loss through the eyes of a psychologist.

scholarly journals Patient Uptake, Experience, and Satisfaction Using Web-Based and Face-to-Face Hearing Health Services: Process Evaluation Study

10.2196/15875 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e15875 ◽  
Author(s):  
Husmita Ratanjee-Vanmali ◽  
De Wet Swanepoel ◽  
Ariane Laplante-Lévesque
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Screening Test ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Hearing Screening ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Hearing Health

Background Globally, access to hearing health care is a growing concern with 900 million people estimated to suffer from disabling hearing loss by 2050. Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic health conditions, yet access to hearing health care is limited. Incorporating Web-based (voice calling, messaging, or emailing) service delivery into current treatment pathways could improve access and allow for better scalability of services. Current electronic health studies in audiology have focused on technical feasibility, sensitivity, and specificity of diagnostic hearing testing and not on patient satisfaction, experiences, and sustainable models along the entire patient journey. Objective This study aimed to investigate a hybrid (Web-based and face-to-face) hearing health service in terms of uptake, experience, and satisfaction in adult patients with hearing loss. Methods A nonprofit hearing research clinic using online and face-to-face services was implemented in Durban, South Africa, using online recruitment from the clinic’s Facebook page and Google AdWords, which directed persons to an online Web-based hearing screening test. Web-based and face-to-face care pathways included assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation. To evaluate the service, an online survey comprising (1) a validated satisfaction measurement tool (Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction), (2) a process evaluation of all the 5 steps completed, and (3) personal preferences of communication methods used vs methods preferred was conducted, which was sent to 46 patients who used clinic services. Results Of the patients invited, 67% (31/46) completed the survey with mean age 66 years, (SD 16). Almost all patients, 92% (30/31) reported that the online screening test assisted them in seeking hearing health care. Approximately 60% (18/31) of the patients accessed the online hearing screening test from an Android device. Patients stayed in contact with the audiologist mostly through WhatsApp instant messaging (27/31, 87%), and most patients (25/31, 81%) preferred to use this method of communication. The patients continuing with hearing health care were significantly older and had significantly poorer speech recognition abilities compared with the patients who discontinued seeking hearing health care. A statistically significant positive result (P=.007) was found between age and the number of appointments per patient. Around 61% (19/31) of patients previously completed diagnostic testing at other practices, with 95% (18/19) rating the services at the hybrid clinic as better. The net promoter score was 87, indicating that patients were highly likely to recommend the hybrid clinic to friends and family. Conclusions This study applied Web-based and face-to-face components into a hybrid clinic and measured an overall positive experience with high patient satisfaction through a process evaluation. The findings support the potential of a hybrid clinic with synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication to be a scalable hearing health care model, addressing the needs of adults with hearing loss globally.

scholarly journals Media Use by Older Adults With Hearing Loss: An Exploratory Survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinaya Manchaiah ◽  
Monica L. Bellon-Harn ◽  
Rebecca J. Kelly-Campbell ◽  
Eldré W. Beukes ◽  
Abram Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Electronic Media ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Hearing Health

Objectives There has been a substantial increase in people with health conditions seeking health-related information online. The aim of this study was to examine the media usage by older adults with hearing loss. Method The study used a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 556 older adults with hearing loss (Hearing Tracker website users) completed the survey that was focused on (a) demographic information, (b) general electronic media usage, (c) sources of hearing health information, and (d) social media use for hearing health information. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results When seeking hearing health care information, the majority of the participants turned to the Internet (54%) followed by health professionals (34%) as the first response to their symptoms. Both sources were also rated as the easiest means of obtaining hearing health information. The information from health care providers was rated as more reliable and important for decision making than that from the Internet. Facebook and YouTube were the most frequently used social media platforms with over 40% of the respondents using them “most of the time” or “sometimes.” All the social media platforms were rated less favorably than other sources for ease of finding information, reliability, and importance in decision making. Conclusion Older adults with hearing loss use various forms of electronic media for seeking hearing health information. They place the most trust on the information obtained from hearing health care professionals. These professionals need to be aware of the quality of information available on the Internet and social media sources in order to direct patients to credible sources. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12170397

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document