Health issues of young adults with hearing loss or deafness: A basis for the development of a chatbot.

Miriam Meng Hannele Hediger Alexandre de Spindler Daniela Händler-Schuster

Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes

Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Institute of Nursing, Winterthur, Switzerland; Private University of Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Department of Nursing Science and Gerontology, Institute for Nursing Science, Hall in Tyrol, Austria; Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington - Faculty of Health, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Practice, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand; Queensland University of Technology, Faculty of Health, School of Public Health and Social Work, Brisbane, Australia. Electronic address:

Published: December 2024

Millions globally face communication challenges due to hearing loss, making digital tools essential for improving health literacy, especially in young adults.
A study aimed to identify the specific health issues of young adults (ages 18-28) with hearing loss, using chat interviews and an expert survey for data collection.
Key findings highlight a desire for belonging and wellness amidst hearing loss, with significant concerns including depression, diet, exercise, and social isolation, suggesting that supportive apps should use simple language and visuals for easy comprehension.

Background: The loss of hearing and thus communication affects the well-being of millions of people worldwide. Digital tools for coping with everyday life are becoming increasingly important and can have a positive impact on health literacy, especially among young adults. This raises the question of which issues such apps should specifically address in order to meet the needs of young adults with hearing loss or deafness.

Methods: The aim was to identify the health issues of young adults (aged 18-28 years) with hearing loss or deafness in order to derive specific recommendations for a conversational agent (chatbot). A multiple embedded case study design consisting of chat interviews (n = 8) and an online-based expert survey (n = 14) was used.

Results: The central phenomenon focuses on "The sense of belonging and feeling well in spite of hearing loss", which is influenced by two main categories: a. the ability to be oneself despite one's vulnerability; b. the desire to be strong despite one's vulnerability. Important health issues include depression, drug use, diet, exercise, isolation due to COVID measures and HIV prophylaxis.

Conclusion: Written information must be provided in simple and accessible language supported by images and symbols. Conversation agents developed to support people with hearing impairment should be easy to install and self-explanatory to use.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.zefq.2024.09.002	DOI Listing

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