Objective: The majority of individuals with hearing loss worldwide reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but there is limited information regarding the characteristics of hearing loss in these regions. This descriptive study aims to address this knowledge gap by analysing audiogram patterns in LMIC populations. Greater knowledge about the properties of hearing loss in LMICs allows for improved planning of interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Hearing and vision impairments are prevalent among residents in long-term care settings. Hearing and vision impairments frequently go unsupported, affecting residents' quality of life and healthcare costs. This paper describes the protocol for a pre-post evaluation and process evaluation of a pragmatic sensory support intervention (SSI) that was developed with residents, informal caregivers and long-term care workers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Vision and hearing impairments are highly prevalent and have a significant impact on physical, psychological and social wellbeing. There is a need for accurate, contemporary national data on the prevalence, risk factors and impacts of vision and hearing loss in Australian adults.
Objectives: The Australian Eye and Ear Health Survey (AEEHS) aims to determine the prevalence, risk factors and impacts of vision and hearing loss in both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous older adults.
Background: This systematic review explores the multifaceted nature of risk factors contributing to adult-onset HL. The objective was to synthesise the most recent epidemiological evidence to generate pooled proportional incidences for the identified risk factors.
Methods: We conducted an extensive search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and psychINFO) for studies providing epidemiological evidence of risk factors associated with hearing loss.
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.
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