Ellen Bothe, Rebecca J Bennett, Melanie A Ferguson
{"title":"Consumer and audiologist perspectives on hearables: a qualitative study.","authors":"Ellen Bothe, Rebecca J Bennett, Melanie A Ferguson","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2341973","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2341973","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>We aimed to explore (i) what adults with hearing difficulties want and need from hearables, which we defined as any non-medical personal sound amplification product, and (ii) what hearing care professionals think about hearables.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>This was an exploratory, qualitative study conducted using separate focus groups with adults with hearing difficulties and audiologists. Data were analysed inductively using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>Participants were 12 adults with hearing difficulties and 6 audiologists.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Adults with hearing difficulties expressed desire for trustworthy information and support, described evaluating hearables and other devices according to diverse personal criteria, and expressed willingness to vary their budget according to product quality. Audiologists expressed views that hearables are an inferior product but useful tool, that it is not necessarily their role to assist with hearables, that hearables are a source of uncertainty, and that the provision of hearables by audiologists is not currently practical.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Adults with hearing difficulties may have complex reasons for considering hearables and may desire a high level of clinical support in this area. Ongoing research into the efficacy and effectiveness of hearables is needed together with research into effective strategies to incorporate hearables into clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"374-383"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140864591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tone-burst elicited auditory brainstem responses in full-term and pre-term infants.","authors":"Gary Rance, Dani Tomlin, Kelley Graydon","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2341119","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2341119","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the reliability of tone-burst auditory brainstem response (TB-ABR) latencies and thresholds in pre-term and full-term infants.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>TB-ABRs to 500 Hz and 4000 Hz tone-burst stimuli were recorded at two-week intervals over the first six weeks of life in a group of full-term infants (40-46 weeks gestational age [GA]) and over ten weeks (36-46 weeks gestation) in a group of preterm infants. Linear mixed model analyses evaluated within-subject changes and the effects of the subject group, age at assessment, and stimulus frequency on ABR latency and threshold.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>Twenty-four infants participated. Nine were full-term (GA: 39-41 weeks) and fifteen were healthy pre-term (GA: 28-34 weeks) at birth.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>TB-ABR wave V latencies at 70 dBnHL decreased throughout the study (<i>p</i> < 0.001) in pre-term babies for both test frequencies by approximately 0.5 ms. There were, however, no group or GA (at birth) effects indicating that response latency normalized in these children by the due date. Similarly, TB-ABR threshold levels in the premature group were elevated (<i>p</i> = 0.001) by approximately 5 dB in pre-term evaluation but were equivalent to those of full-term participants in the post-term assessment period.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In healthy, pre-term infants, tone-burst ABR testing is reliable from 36 weeks gestation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"384-391"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140857760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Faheema Mahomed-Asmail, Nannette Nicholson, Louise Metcalfe, Cherilee Rutherford, Marien Alet Graham, Victoria Watson, Catherine Regan, Saira Hussain
{"title":"Enhancing audiology students' understanding of person-centered care: insights from an multi-national virtual student conference.","authors":"Faheema Mahomed-Asmail, Nannette Nicholson, Louise Metcalfe, Cherilee Rutherford, Marien Alet Graham, Victoria Watson, Catherine Regan, Saira Hussain","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2344097","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2344097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This project sought to investigate the impact of a multi-national peer learning initiative in facilitating a student-led conference on person-centred care (PCC). The primary objective was to assess students' comprehension of PCC elements before and after engaging in the opportunity, with a concurrent evaluation of the efficacy of the opportunity.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A mixed-methods study protocol was followed. Following the conference, participants completed a four-part survey including (a) demographics, (b) retrospective pre-post Likert scale, (c) Likert rating of conference experience and (d) five open-ended questions.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>One hundred and four participants (92.4% female) with a mean age of 21 years (0.07 SD) participated in the study.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A significant difference in awareness pre-post conference was demonstrated across all topics (WSR, p < 0.001) with participants satisfied with the conference. Qualitative analysis revealed three main themes: (a) application of PCC; (b) perspectives of PCC; and () barriers to PCC; with nine sub-themes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The conference was beneficial in enhancing students' awareness of topics and principles of PCC. Innovative pedagogical approaches should be considered in order to enhance healthcare education allowing future clinicians to better meet the dynamic needs of their clients.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"336-342"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140860720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ciara Kelly, Kevin J Munro, Anisa S Visram, Lindsey Jones, Helen Chilton, Christopher J Armitage
{"title":"What factors are associated with infant hearing aid use? A parent survey using the Theoretical Domains Framework.","authors":"Ciara Kelly, Kevin J Munro, Anisa S Visram, Lindsey Jones, Helen Chilton, Christopher J Armitage","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2358428","DOIUrl":"10.1080/14992027.2024.2358428","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Hearing aid use is lowest in 0-3-year-olds with hearing loss, placing spoken language development at risk. Existing interventions lack effectiveness and are typically not based on a theoretically driven, comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing infant hearing aid use. The present study is the first to address this gap in understanding.</p><p><strong>Design and study sample: </strong>A 55-item online survey based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was completed by 56 parents of 0-3-year-old hearing aid users.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants reported a wide range of barriers across TDF domains, which were associated with parent-reported hearing aid use and more pronounced in parents of lower hearing aid users. The most strongly reported domains across participants were \"emotion\" (e.g. feelings of worry when using hearing aids), \"beliefs about capabilities\" (e.g. belief in ability to use hearing aids consistently), and \"environmental context and resources\" (e.g. child removing hearing aids).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Parents report a wider range of barriers to infant hearing aid use than existing investigations suggest and current interventions address. Interventions would benefit from: (i) targeting a wider range of TDF domains in their design; and (ii) implementing the present TDF survey to identify and target family-specific barriers to infant hearing aid use.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"355-364"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141442585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C Furze, J Newall, M Nickbakht, P Dawes, T Y C Ching, M Sharma
{"title":"A systematic review of barriers and facilitators for ethnically diverse communities in accessing adult and paediatric hearing services.","authors":"C Furze, J Newall, M Nickbakht, P Dawes, T Y C Ching, M Sharma","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2025.2477755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2477755","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To conduct a systematic review of identified barriers and facilitators for ethnically diverse adults and children in accessing hearing health services.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Searches were performed in electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Pychinfo, LLBA, and Scopus. The Strengthening of Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research were used to assess quality of articles. Barriers and facilitators for ethnically diverse adults and children to access hearing services were summarised descriptively using Levesque et al.'s conceptual framework of access to healthcare.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>25 articles met the inclusion criteria.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Barriers and facilitators were identified for every domain of Levesque's framework for ethnically diverse adults, children, and their families. Personal barriers included health literacy, health beliefs, and stigma. Environmental barriers included language, limited cultural and interpreter training for clinicians, time constraints in appointments, direct and indirect costs. Facilitators included availability of translated and/or simplified information, cultural responsiveness training, outreach programs, and community health workers to engage with ethnically diverse communities.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>With increasingly multicultural societies globally, there is an increased need to provide culturally responsive care and accessible hearing health services. Understanding current barriers and facilitators to accessibility would facilitate global sustainable development goals around reduced inequality, health, and wellbeing.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143752606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Perindi Patel, Kevin J Munro, Jonathan O Parsons, Antonia Marsden, Antje Heinrich
{"title":"Comparing UK patients' experiences of NHS audiology care using a newly translated English version of the consumer quality index (CQI) <i>'audiology care'</i> questionnaire.","authors":"Perindi Patel, Kevin J Munro, Jonathan O Parsons, Antonia Marsden, Antje Heinrich","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2025.2477037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2477037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Following the adaptation of a patient-reported experience measure (PREM) of \"Audiology Care\", based on the Consumer Quality Index (CQI), from a Dutch to a UK context, we compared patient experiences of the prescription and fitting process for first-time adult hearing aid (HA) users in two different venues affiliated to the same organisation.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>The adapted PREM consisted of 32 questions and 7 subscales.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>The PREM was posted to a group of 1821 NHS patients who had received a first HA fitting via a social enterprise within the past 12 months at either a Hospital or High Street venue. 967 (53%, 796 Hospital, 171 High Street) patients responded and were included in the study.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For two out of seven subscales the mean patient ratings for the two venues showed statistically significant differences: \"Accommodation and Facilities\" and \"Waiting Times\". In both cases the differences were very small. Internal consistency of subscales ranged from 0.36-0.81 with only three subscales showing good or acceptable values: \"Conduct of Employees\", \"Expertise of Employees\" and \"Arranging Appointments\".</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This translated and adapted PREM can be a useful tool to standardise assessment and reporting of patient experiences of first-time HA users in the UK.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143700153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
H Brough, Paul K Bateman, P Church, Sally K Thornton
{"title":"The use of hearing devices for children with persistent otitis media with effusion: a scoping review.","authors":"H Brough, Paul K Bateman, P Church, Sally K Thornton","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2025.2478269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2478269","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this scoping review was to summarise the current evidence on the use of air and bone conduction hearing devices for children with persistent OME.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A scoping review was conducted and online databases were used to search for peer review evidence. The review method followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for scoping reviews - PRISMA-ScR.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>Children (<18 years) with persistent otitis media with effusion.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Database searches initially yielded 1490 articles. After abstract screening and full text review (n = 917), 5 articles were included for analysis. Definitive conclusions could not be drawn due to the paucity and low quality of the data, as well as the evident bias present. The limited qualitative data suggests that most participants appeared to benefit from their hearing devices, with high levels of parental satisfaction. Some negative effects associated with device use were identified, with reports of children feeling self-conscious and experiencing teasing.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A subjective consensus indicated that hearing devices provided benefit for children with persistent OME. Significant gaps in the evidence remain due to the limited availability of data. Further research is required to determine the best outcome measures, and to compare OME management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143691988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T Guyonnet-Hencke, O Portoles, M de Vries, E Koderman, A Winkler, J Goodall, P Desain, J Thielen, M Schulte, A J Beynon, M van Kesteren
{"title":"Rapid cortical auditory evoked potentials audiometry.","authors":"T Guyonnet-Hencke, O Portoles, M de Vries, E Koderman, A Winkler, J Goodall, P Desain, J Thielen, M Schulte, A J Beynon, M van Kesteren","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2025.2478523","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2478523","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The current 'gold standard' of audiometry relies on subjective behavioural responses, which is impractical and unreliable for certain groups such as children, individuals with severe disabilities, or the disabled elderly. This study aims to validating blindly a novel electroencephalography (EEG) technique to estimate audiometric thresholds quickly.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Air-conduction audiometric thresholds at 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz at 5 dB resolution were measured using three different systems: the novel EEG system, conventional pure-tone audiometry (PTA), and an automated behavioural test with the same stimulus properties as in the EEG test. EEG data were collected for 15 min from 32 semi-dry EEG electrodes. Later, the EEG system was trimmed to 8 electrodes and 7.5 min of data with satisfactory results. EEG and PTA thresholds were estimated blindly.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>Audiometric thresholds were estimated from 10 elderly patients with asymmetric sensorineural hearing loss and five normal hearing young adults at both ears.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Correlation and regression analysis validated the hearing thresholds derived from both EEG configurations relative to the behavioural hearing thresholds - Spearman's correlation of 0.78 between PTA and 8-electrode 7.5-min EEG data.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results of this study open the door to rapid and objective hearing threshold estimation with EEG.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143691947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A randomised controlled trial evaluating hearing aid knowledge and the effects of information leaflets with and without illustrations among adult hearing aid users.","authors":"L Bruce Olander, T Bjuvmar, E Nyhlén, M Öberg","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2025.2478520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2478520","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether an information leaflet with illustrations and accompanying text about hearing aid functions have additional effects on participants' knowledge compared to an information leaflet without illustrations. An additional aim was to evaluate hearing aid users' knowledge of placement in a noisy environment, directional microphones and telecoil functions at baseline and postintervention and to assess the benefits of an information leaflet.</p><p><strong>Design and study sample: </strong>In this RCT study the participants were randomised to the intervention group (<i>n</i> = 32) that received leaflets with text and illustrations and to the control group (<i>n</i> = 29) that received leaflets with text only. Open-ended questions were used to assess knowledge at baseline and after three weeks. Post-intervention benefits were evaluated by assessing statements about the leaflet.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>No statistically significant differences in knowledge improvement were found between groups. Regardless of group allocation, participants showed limited knowledge at baseline and significantly improved knowledge postintervention. The participants reported the benefits of the leaflet regardless of group allocation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>An information leaflet about hearing aid functions increased participants' knowledge regardless of the presence of illustrations. Further research should be conducted to investigate how to design and use information leaflets in aural rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143673170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Right ear advantage in cochlear implant simulation: short- and long-term effects.","authors":"Yağız Korkut, Mustafa Yüksel","doi":"10.1080/14992027.2025.2473050","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2025.2473050","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigates the short-term effects of degraded auditory input on the right ear advantage (REA) and the REA following long-term exposure to vocoder-processed sounds, which simulate cochlear implant (CI) hearing. Vocoder processing allows normal hearing individuals to experience CI-like hearing conditions, enabling an exploration of how modifications to auditory input influence the REA.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A repeated-measures design was employed. Twenty-two normal-hearing participants completed dichotic word recognition tests under three auditory conditions: bilateral normal hearing, short-term vocoder-processed hearing, and long-term vocoder-processing hearing. REA was assessed after one month of training with vocoder-processed words to simulate long-term exposure.</p><p><strong>Study sample: </strong>The study included 22 normal-hearing participants aged 19-28 years. All participants had normal hearing and no history of auditory or neurological disorders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>REA significantly decreased under the short-term vocoder condition compared to the normal hearing condition (<i>p</i> < 0.001). However, after long-term training, REA significantly improved (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and this improvement approached normal hearing levels (<i>p</i> = 0.28).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that short-term exposure to vocoder-processed auditory input disrupts the REA, but extended training can restore it. These results provide insights into cortical plasticity and its role in auditory adaptation, with potential implications for developing rehabilitation strategies for CI users.</p>","PeriodicalId":13759,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Audiology","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143634029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}