Lessons learned from health system rehabilitation preparedness and response for disasters in LMICs: a scoping review.

Introduction: Disasters such as earthquakes, conflict, or landslides result in traumatic injuries creating surges in rehabilitation and assistive technology needs, exacerbating pre-existing unmet needs. Disasters frequently occur in countries where existing rehabilitation services are underdeveloped, hindering response to rehabilitation demand surge events.

Aims: The primary aim of this scoping review is therefore to synthesize the evidence on rehabilitation and assistive technology preparedness and response of health systems in LMICs to the demand associated with disasters and conflict situations.

Service delivery approaches related to hearing aids in low- and middle-income countries or resource-limited settings: A systematic scoping review.

Hearing loss is an important global public health issue which can be alleviated through treatment with hearing aids. However, most people who would benefit from hearing aids do not receive them, in part due to challenges in accessing hearing aids and related services, which are most salient in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and other resource-limited settings. Innovative approaches for hearing aid service delivery can overcome many of the challenges related to access, including that of limited human resources trained to provide ear and hearing care.

Assistive technology needs, access and coverage, and related barriers and facilitators in the WHO European region: a scoping review.

Purpose: Globally, assistive technology (AT) is used by over 1 billion people, but the prevalence of needs and access to AT in specific countries or regions is largely unknown. This scoping review summarises the evidence available on the prevalence of needs, access and coverage of AT in the World Health Organisation European Region and the barriers and facilitators to its use.

Methods: Relevant publications were identified using a combination of two strategies: 1) a systematic search for AT publications in five scientific literature databases; and 2) consultations with 76 of the Region's AT experts.

Best Practices in the Development, Translation, and Cultural Adaptation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Adults With Hearing Impairment: Lessons From the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life Instruments.

This manuscript summarizes available evidence-based best practices in the development, translation, and cultural adaptation of one type of outcome measure for adults with hearing impairment, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). It presents the development of the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life (CIQOL) instruments and the ongoing translation and cultural adaptation of the CIQOL-35 Profile from English to French as case studies and discusses useful lessons for selecting, developing, translating, culturally adapting, and using PROMs. Relevant best practice guides are introduced, described and their steps are illustrated with examples.

Adult Users of the Oticon Medical Neuro Cochlear Implant System Benefit from Beamforming in the High Frequencies.

The Oticon Medical Neuro cochlear implant system includes the modes Opti Omni and Speech Omni, the latter providing beamforming (i.e., directional selectivity) in the high frequencies.

The Development of the "Telislife" Questionnaire for the Evaluation of Telephone Use in Cochlear Implant Users.

Purpose For cochlear implant users, the ability to use the telephone is often seen as an important landmark during rehabilitation and an indicator of cochlear implant benefit. The goal of this study was to develop a short questionnaire exploring the ability to use the telephone in cochlear implant users, named Telislife, and test it in a group of experienced users. Method This prospective multicenter study was based on the completion of self-administrated questionnaires.

Digital Proficiency Is Not a Significant Barrier for Taking Up Hearing Services With a Hybrid Online and Face-to-Face Model.

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the effect of self-perceived digital proficiency on the uptake of hearing services through a hybrid online and face-to-face hearing health care model. Method Adults were recruited via online methods to complete an online hearing screening test within the greater Durban area in South Africa. On submission of contact details after failing the screening, contact was made via telephone to assess readiness for further hearing care.

Clinical efficiency and safety of the oticon medical neuro cochlear implant system: a multicenter prospective longitudinal study.

Objective: This prospective longitudinal cohort study at six tertiary referral centers in Canada and Denmark describes the clinical efficiency and surgical safety of cochlear implantation with the Oticon Medical Neuro cochlear implant system, including the Neuro Zti implant, the EVO electrode array, and the Neuro One sound processor.

Methods: Patients were adult cochlear implant candidates with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Results: The mean HINT scores in quiet pre-operatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-activation were 13%, 58%, 67%, and 72%, respectively, and in noise (+10 dB SNR) 13%, 46%, 53%, and 59%, respectively.

Characteristics and Help-Seeking Behavior of People Failing a Smart Device Self-Test for Hearing.

Purpose This study investigated user characteristics, help-seeking behavior, and follow-up actions of people who failed an app-based digits-in-noise hearing screening test, considering their stage of change. Method Test and user characteristics of 3,092 listeners who failed the test were retrospectively analyzed. A posttest survey determining follow-up (verb) actions was sent to listeners who failed the test ( = 1,007), of which 59 responded.

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

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.

Evaluation of a sentence test in noise in children with hearing impairment.

Introduction: School-aged children with hearing impairment (HI) listen and learn in noisy environments. On-going monitoring of speech understanding in noise is essential to adjust clinical interventions accordingly.

Methods: The aim of this study was to assess Dantale II in a paediatric population.

The Oticon Medical Neuro Zti cochlear implant and the Neuro 2 sound processor: multicentric evaluation of outcomes in adults and children.

This study evaluated the outcomes of the Oticon Medical Neuro Zti cochlear implant and the Neuro 2 sound processor. Neuro One users were upgraded to Neuro 2. Monosyllabic word identification was evaluated in adults with Neuro One after ≥5 months, with Neuro 2 at upgrade, and with Neuro 2 after 3 months.

Individualised active communication education (I-ACE): another clinical option for adults with hearing impairment with a focus on problem solving and self-management.

This clinical note describes the Individualised - Active Communication Education (I-ACE) programme designed to improve problem solving and self-management in adults with hearing impairment. The I-ACE was offered to adult clients seeking help for the first time and effects were measured for participants using self-report questionnaires: the Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (goal attainment), the Hearing Handicap Questionnaire (hearing disability), and the International Outcome Inventory - Alternative Interventions (outcomes) immediately after programme completion and 3 months later. Participants also provided qualitative feedback about I-ACE.

Big Data for Sound Policies: Toward Evidence-Informed Hearing Health Policies.

Purpose: The scarcity of health care resources calls for their rational allocation, including within hearing health care. Policies define the course of action to reach specific goals such as optimal hearing health. The process of policy making can be divided into 4 steps: (a) problem identification and issue recognition, (b) policy formulation, (c) policy implementation, and (d) policy evaluation.

User-Innovated eHealth Solutions for Service Delivery to Older Persons With Hearing Impairment.

Purpose: The successful design and innovation of eHealth solutions directly involve end users in the process to seek a better understanding of their needs. This article presents user-innovated eHealth solutions targeting older persons with hearing impairment. Our research question was: What are the key users' needs, expectations, and visions within future hearing rehabilitation service delivery?

Method: We applied a participatory design approach to facilitate the design of future eHealth solutions via focus groups.

Internet and Audiology: A Review of the Third International Meeting.

Purpose: In this introduction, the four members of the scientific committee for the Third International Meeting on Internet and Audiology describe the meeting that took place at the University of Louisville on July 27-28, 2017.

Method: This special issue, with a decidedly clinical focus, includes 14 articles that arose from presentations given at the Third International Meeting on Internet and Audiology. All touch upon the theme of innovation as it pertains to teleaudiology and mobile health (mHealth), application of Big Data to audiology, and ethics of internet and telemedicine.

Characteristics, behaviours and readiness of persons seeking hearing healthcare online.

Objective: This study describes characteristics, behaviours and readiness of people who are interested in seeking hearing healthcare (HHC) online.

Design: A non-profit clinic was established from which services through a virtual clinic are offered. Most of the patient-audiologist interactions are conducted online.

eHealth and the hearing aid adult patient journey: a state-of-the-art review.

The number and variety of eHealth services for adults and older adults who use hearing aids (HAs) are growing rapidly. This area holds promise to increase cost-efficiency, enable better access to care, and improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. Despite the increasing interest in this field, an up-to-date picture of recent research in the area of eHealth for adults with HAs is lacking.

How Do Hearing Aid Owners Respond to Hearing Aid Problems?

Background: Although hearing aids can improve hearing and communication, problems that arise following the acquisition of hearing aids can result in their disuse. This study aimed to gather perspectives of hearing aid owners and hearing health care clinicians about how hearing aid owners respond to problems that arise following hearing aid fitting, and then use these perspectives to generate a conceptual framework to better understand these responses.

Methods: Seventeen hearing aid owners and 21 hearing health care clinicians generated, sorted, and rated statements regarding how hearing aid owners respond to problems associated with hearing aid use.

Clinical validation of a public health policy-making platform for hearing loss (EVOTION): protocol for a big data study.

Introduction: The holistic management of hearing loss (HL) requires an understanding of factors that predict hearing aid (HA) use and benefit beyond the acoustics of listening environments. Although several predictors have been identified, no study has explored the role of audiological, cognitive, behavioural and physiological data nor has any study collected real-time HA data. This study will collect 'big data', including retrospective HA logging data, prospective clinical data and real-time data via smart HAs, a mobile application and biosensors.

Development and Pilot Evaluation of a Novel Theory-Based Intervention to Encourage Help-Seeking for Adult Hearing Loss.

Background: Health behavior theories can provide an understanding of hearing health behaviors and, more importantly, can be used to develop theoretically based strategies to change these health behaviors.

Purpose: To develop a theory-based brief intervention to increase help-seeking for adult hearing loss and to conduct a pilot study to evaluate its feasibility, effectiveness, and impact on hearing beliefs and behaviors.

Research Design: An intervention was designed that could be easily administered by a health-care provider who does not have expertise in audiology-such as a primary care physician, community nurse, or social worker.

Exploring Hearing Aid Problems: Perspectives of Hearing Aid Owners and Clinicians.

Objectives: To gather perspectives of hearing aid owners and hearing healthcare clinicians with regard to problems that arise after hearing aid fitting and use these perspectives to generate a conceptual framework to gain a better understanding of these problems.

Design: Participants included a group of 17 hearing aid owners and a group of 21 hearing healthcare clinicians; data collection occurred separately for each group. Participants each attended two group sessions in Perth, Western Australia, wherein they: (1) generated statements describing the problems associated with hearing aids and (2) grouped and rated the statements to identify key themes.

Associations Between Hearing Performance and Physiological Measures - An Overview and Outlook.

The current paper summarises the research investigating associations between physiological data and hearing performance. An overview of state-of-the-art research and literature is given as well as promising directions for associations between physiological data and data regarding hearing loss and hearing performance. The physiological parameters included in this paper are: electrodermal activity, heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood oxygenation and respiratory rate.