Applying the COM-B model to assess the usability of smartphone-connected listening devices in adults with hearing loss

Background: Unlike conventional hearing aids, smartphone-connected listening devices may require limited or no input from a trained audiologist in terms of device programming and adjustment. However, there is a lack of peer-reviewed evidence assessing the real-world perspectives of people living with hearing loss toward such technological innovations. Purpose: This study assessed the everyday experiences of adults living with hearing loss toward a range of smartphone-connected listening devices using the COM-B model as a theoretical framework. Research Design: A qualitative study whereby participants trialled one of the following smartphone-connected listening devices for two-weeks in their everyday lives: made-for-smartphone hearing aids, personal sound amplification product, smartphone ‘hearing aid’ app with wired earphones or wireless hearable. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. Study Sample: Twenty adults (13 male, 7 female; mean age = 62.25 years, SD = 11.59) with mild-moderate hearing loss (mean better ear pure-tone average = 30.49 dB HL, SD = 17.51) were recruited using a convenience sampling strategy. All participants owned conventional hearing aids. Results: The data were analysed using an established deductive thematic analysis procedure within the context of the COM-B model. The model stipulates that for individuals to engage in a particular behaviour (B), they must have sufficient capability (C), opportunity (O), and motivation (M). Capability: One of the key advantages facilitating use and adherence of smartphone-connected listening devices was the ability for participants to make fine-tune adjustments in any listening situation. Opportunity: Participants commented that these devices could address issues surrounding stigma, as smartphones are ubiquitous in everyday life. Motivation: Participants consistently reported that the ability to make adjustments via a smartphone provided them with a greater sense of autonomy and empowerment. As a result, they felt more in control of their hearing loss. Conclusions: This study lays the foundation for further high-quality research to explore whether smartphone-connected technologies have the potential to yield optimum benefits for people living with hearing loss

EHealth and Its Role in Supporting Audiological Rehabilitation: Patient Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators of Using a Personal Hearing Support System With Mobile Application as Part of the EVOTION Study

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss is a major public health challenge. Audiology services need to utilise a range of rehabilitative services and maximise innovative practice afforded by technology to actively promote personalized, participatory, preventative and predictive care if they are to cope with the social and economic burden placed on the population by the rapidly rising prevalence of hearing loss. Digital interventions and teleaudiology could be a key part of providing high quality, cost-effective, patient-centred management. There is currently very limited evidence that assesses the hearing impaired patient perspective on the acceptance and usability of this type of technology. AIM: This study aims to identify patient perceptions of the use of a hearing support system including a mobile smartphone app when used with Bluetooth-connected hearing aids across the everyday life of users, as part of the EVOTION project. METHODS: We applied a questionnaire to 564 participants in three countries across Europe and analysed the following topics: connectivity, hearing aid controls, instructional videos, audiological tests and auditory training. KEY FINDINGS: Older users were just as satisfied as younger users when operating this type of technology. Technical problems such as Bluetooth connectivity need to be minimised as this issue is highly critical for user satisfaction, engagement and uptake. A system that promotes user-controllability of hearing aids that is more accessible and easier to use is highly valued. Participants are happy to utilise monitoring tests and auditory training on a mobile phone out of the clinic but in order to have value the test battery needs to be relevant and tailored to each user, easy to understand and use. Such functions can elicit a negative as well as positive experience for each user. CONCLUSION: Older and younger adults can utilise an eHealth mobile app to complement their rehabilitation and health care. If the technology works well, is tailored to the individual and in-depth personalised guidance and support is provided, it could assist maximisation of hearing aid uptake, promotion of self-management and improving outcomes

Hearing loss in the developing world : evaluating the i-Phone mobile device as a screening tool

Background: Hearing loss is a global health burden affecting 360 million people. The highest prevalence is in the Developing World where hearing screening programmes are scarce, and failure to address growing high-risk populations will result in new deaf communities. In resource stretched communities such as these, new strategies to alleviate this burden are necessary. Advances in technology have led to innovative mobile digital devices like smartphones and tablets with the potential to test hearing through audiometric applications. Given the recent upsurge of mobile technology in Africa, it is befitting to determine whether the implementation of science can translate to health service delivery. Objectives: To validate the Apple iPhone mobile device using the uHearâ„¢ application "app" as a possible hearing screening tool in the Developing World

Application of Big Data to Support Evidence-Based Public Health Policy Decision-Making for Hearing

Ideally, public health policies are formulated from scientific data; however, policy-specific data are often unavailable. Big data can generate ecologically-valid, high-quality scientific evidence, and therefore has the potential to change how public health policies are formulated. Here, we discuss the use of big data for developing evidence-based hearing health policies, using data collected and analyzed with a research prototype of a data repository known as EVOTION (EVidence-based management of hearing impairments: public health pOlicy-making based on fusing big data analytics and simulaTION), to illustrate our points. Data in the repository consist of audiometric clinical data, prospective real-world data collected from hearing aids and an app, and responses to questionnaires collected for research purposes. To date, we have used the platform and a synthetic dataset to model the estimated risk of noise-induced hearing loss and have shown novel evidence of ways in which external factors influence hearing aid usage patterns. We contend that this research prototype data repository illustrates the value of using big data for policy-making by providing high-quality evidence that could be used to formulate and evaluate the impact of hearing health care policies

Assistive technologies for severe and profound hearing loss: beyond hearing aids and implants

Assistive technologies offer capabilities that were previously inaccessible to individuals with severe and profound hearing loss who have no or limited access to hearing aids and implants. This literature review aims to explore existing assistive technologies and identify what still needs to be done. It is found that there is a lack of focus on the overall objectives of assistive technologies. In addition, several other issues are identified i.e. only a very small number of assistive technologies developed within a research context have led to commercial devices, there is a predisposition to use the latest expensive technologies and a tendency to avoid designing products universally. Finally, the further development of plug-ins that translate the text content of a website to various sign languages is needed to make information on the internet more accessible

Concurrent speech feedback for blind people on touchscreens

Tese de Mestrado, Engenharia Informática, 2023, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de CiênciasSmartphone interactions are demanding. Most smartphones come with limited physical buttons, so users can not rely on touch to guide them. Smartphones come with built-in accessibility mechanisms, for example, screen readers, that make the interaction accessible for blind users. However, some tasks are still inefficient or cumbersome. Namely, when scanning through a document, users are limited by the single sequential audio channel provided by screen readers. Or when tasks are interrupted in the presence of other actions. In this work, we explored alternatives to optimize smartphone interaction by blind people by leveraging simultaneous audio feedback with different configurations, such as different voices and spatialization. We researched 5 scenarios: Task interruption, where we use concurrent speech to reproduce a notification without interrupting the current task; Faster information consumption, where we leverage concurrent speech to announce up to 4 different contents simultaneously; Text properties, where the textual formatting is announced; The map scenario, where spatialization provides feedback on how close or distant a user is from a particular location; And smartphone interactions scenario, where there is a corresponding sound for each gesture, and instead of reading the screen elements (e.g., button), a corresponding sound is played. We conducted a study with 10 blind participants whose smartphone usage experience ranges from novice to expert. During the study, we asked participants’ perceptions and preferences for each scenario, what could be improved, and in what situations these extra capabilities are valuable to them. Our results suggest that these extra capabilities we presented are helpful for users, especially if these can be turned on and off according to the user’s needs and situation. Moreover, we find that using concurrent speech works best when announcing short messages to the user while listening to longer content and not so much to have lengthy content announced simultaneously

Digital Media Usage of Sensory Impaired Users in Wales 2018 Report

What benefits have digital media brought to sensory impaired users in Wales and what are the barriers that affect people who have sensory loss in using digital technologies

Digital Media Usage of Sensory Impaired Users in Wales 2018 Report

This document reports the main statistical findings from a survey of digital media usage and attitudes of sensory impaired users in Wales. The report offers a comprehensive review of the benefits that digital media has brought to sensory impaired users in Wales and some of the barriers that affect people who have sensory loss. Reported data shows that although only used by half of the sight-impaired community, digital media is crucial to the wellbeing of the sight-impaired users. However, blind and partially sighted people who responded to the questionnaire demonstrate a disadvantaged level of digital media engagement. This report has identified a number of barriers facing people who are sensory impaired in Wales in accessing information, education and services. Barriers were identified mainly in the areas of financial restraints, access to training opportunities, and web accessibility. In addition to emphasise the importance of financial support, digital skills training and web accessibility, the report also recommend a new technology design agenda to the industry in both public and private sectors. Authors endorse what Graham Pullin (2009) suggests the ‘resonant design’ approach, which incorporates disabled and non-disabled users based on coincident needs. Design should emphasize on users and tailor the technology capacity around the need of the user, even such design might look like low-tech and long-lasting