| 1. Citation: |
Bai, Z., Chi, I., Yang, K., Li, Y., Shen, X., & Zen, R. (2012). Communication enhancement for older adults with hearing impairments.
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| Keywords: |
Hearing disorder(s), hearing impairment, hearing impaired, deafness, hearing loss, hard of hearing, dysacusis, prebycusis, parecusis, paracousis, paracusis, sensorineural |
| Abstract: |
In the last decade, the number of older adults with hearing impairment has grown tremendously world-wide. Rehabilitation focusing on hearing aid fitting is the most common type of intervention offered to older adults with hearing impairment and numerous studies have been conducted evaluating the outcomes of this form of intervention. But, the problem is that hearing aid fitting alone dose not meet the needs of all older adults with hearing impairments. Some research suggests that a group communication programs in addition to hearing aid fitting showed a greater reduction in self-reported hearing and communication difficulties. However, one limitation of those studies on communication training is the lack of inclusion of placebo intervention as control. Other studies suggest that communication programs have no treatment effect for a group who received communication training compared with a group who received no training. This review aims to synthesize the evidence from recent experimental studies on the impact of communication education hearing in older adults with hearing impairment.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this review is to gather, summarize, and integrate the research on communication training for older adults with hearing impairment, in order to help policymakers, educators, family members, and other stakeholders understand which kinds of training might be an effective tool for improving audio logical rehabilitation and enhancing the communication skill for older adults with hearing impairment.
METHODOLOGY
Types of studies included: Randomized controlled trials, and quasi- experimental studies of interventions of communication training for older adults with hearing impairment.
Types of participants included:
1. Evidence of hearing impairment;
2.ability to communicate in the group environment as assessed by the researchers 3. No significant self-reported memory problems;
4. Age 53+;
5. Participants who present with stroke in addition to the above criteria would be excluded from this study.
Types of interventions (and comparisons) included: Interventions: total communication (sign language or signing exact English not included); listening and communication enhancement training) Comparisons: 1. placebo training 2. hearing aid 3. Hearing aid+ communication training (Include using the telephone, listening to the television, going to a restaurant and conversing at mealtimes; videotapes; booklet).
Types of outcomes included: Reduce the communication activity limitations; improve quality of life of older people; improve the well-being of those participants; reduce participation restrictions experienced by older people with hearing impairment; increase communication strategy for audio logical rehabilitation. (Applying the Client Oriented Scale of Improvement, the International Outcome Inventory-Alternative Interventions to assess the hearing improvement with at least six months follow up).
Proposed codings for quality appraising included studies: Method of random assignment; Allocation concealment; Loss to follow up; Blinding of outcome assessment; fidelity of implementation.
Methods for data extraction of included studies: A protocol including different types of variables (e. g. study information variables, input variables, output variables) will be developed.
Proposed quality assurance procedures (e.g. independent double data extraction etc.): Two reviewers will independently determine inclusion or exclusion; extract data and asses quality of an included study. A third party will be involved in order to solve any disagreements.
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