Satisfaction with amplification in daily life (SADL) in different types and degrees of hearing loss

Introduction: The aim of this study is to determine the satisfaction level of hearing aids users in different types and degrees of hearing loss using the satisfaction with amplification in daily life (SADL) questionnaire. Methods: 31 hearing aid users with different types of hearing loss who sought help from the International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM) Hearing and Speech Clinic at Jalan Hospital Campus, Kuantan, IIUM Medical Specialist Centre and private hearing aid centres were involved in this study. The data was collected from the participants who filled in the Malay SADL questionnaires. Results: Among the thirty-one (31) participants, most of the hearing aid users were satisfied with their hearing aids regardless of their different types of hearing loss. It was found that satisfaction level with the hearing aids may depend on several factors such as cosmetic preference, degrees of hearing loss, cost of hearing aid and audiologist competence. Meanwhile, in terms of degrees of hearing loss, majority of the users were relatively satisfied with their hearing aids and there was no significant difference between the different degree of hearing loss and their satisfaction level in the SADL global score and each of the subscales. Conclusions: This study indicates that some hearing aid users are not satisfied in terms of feedback, telephone use, cosmetic appearance and costs of hearing aid. The findings of this study can benefit the audiologists, as they would be able to use the information to help future patients understand and adapt to the use of the hearing aids better

Satisfaction with amplification in daily life (SADL) in monaural and binaural hearing aid users

Introduction: This study was aimed to identify the level of satisfaction in monaural and binaural hearing aid users by using Malay Satisfaction of Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire (Ramli, 2017). Methods: A total of thirty-four (34) hearing aid users from International Islamic University, Malaysia (IIUM) Hearing and Speech Clinic at Jalan Hospital Campus, Kuantan, IIUM Medical Specialist Centre and private hearing aid centres participated in this study. Eighteen (18) of them were monaural users while the rest were binaural hearing aid users. Results: The results were categorized based on the means of each subscales (Positive effects, Negative features, Service & cost and Personal image) as well as mean of global satisfaction scores. Positive effects subscale shows the highest mean score with 5.87 while negative features subscale has the lowest mean with 3.94 regardless of different type of fittings. In addition, it is found that there is no significant difference in degree of satisfaction in monaural and binaural hearing aid users except for negative feature subscale. Conclusions: Overall, the majority of hearing aid users were satisfied on all four subscales and global score. Assessing patient's satisfaction can be helpful in planning appropriate intervention. Successful hearing aid fitting is correlated with how satisfied the patient is with the outcome provided by the device

An exploration of the rhythm of Malay

In recent years there has been a surge of interest in speech rhythm. However we still lack a clear understanding of the nature of rhythm and rhythmic differences across languages. Various metrics have been proposed as means for measuring rhythm on the phonetic level and making typological comparisons between languages (Ramus et al, 1999; Grabe & Low, 2002; Dellwo, 2006) but the debate is ongoing on the extent to which these metrics capture the rhythmic basis of speech (Arvaniti, 2009; Fletcher, in press). Furthermore, cross linguistic studies of rhythm have covered a relatively small number of languages and research on previously unclassified languages is necessary to fully develop the typology of rhythm. This study examines the rhythmic features of Malay, for which, to date, relatively little work has been carried out on aspects rhythm and timing. The material for the analysis comprised 10 sentences produced by 20 speakers of standard Malay (10 males and 10 females). The recordings were first analysed using rhythm metrics proposed by Ramus et. al (1999) and Grabe & Low (2002). These metrics (∆C, %V, rPVI, nPVI) are based on durational measurements of vocalic and consonantal intervals. The results indicated that Malay clustered with other so-called syllable-timed languages like French and Spanish on the basis of all metrics. However, underlying the overall findings for these metrics there was a large degree of variability in values across speakers and sentences, with some speakers having values in the range typical of stressed-timed languages like English. Further analysis has been carried out in light of Fletcher’s (in press) argument that measurements based on duration do not wholly reflect speech rhythm as there are many other factors that can influence values of consonantal and vocalic intervals, and Arvaniti’s (2009) suggestion that other features of speech should also be considered in description of rhythm to discover what contributes to listeners’ perception of regularity. Spectrographic analysis of the Malay recordings brought to light two parameters that displayed consistency and regularity for all speakers and sentences: the duration of individual vowels and the duration of intervals between intensity minima. This poster presents the results of these investigations and points to connections between the features which seem to be consistently regulated in the timing of Malay connected speech and aspects of Malay phonology. The results are discussed in light of current debate on the descriptions of rhythm

Relationship between life-time noise exposure and experience of tinnitus among young adults in IIUM Kuantan

Introduction: Since the clinical studies have shown that people suffering from tinnitus are at a high risk of developing serious psychological disturbances or serious psychological distress (Hiller and Goebel, 1998), the purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between lifetime noise exposure and tinnitus experience among young adults in IIUM Kuantan. Methods: Cross sectional study was used to determine whether there is any association between tinnitus experience, life-time noise exposure and hearing threshold among 11 young adults in IIUM Kuantan from age of 18 to 35 years old who are exposed to the noise. Hearing assessment was done using otoscopy, tympanometry and pure tone audiometry. Participants were asked to fill in a questionnaire on tinnitus experience and were fitted with a noise dosimeter that measured their noise exposure during waking hours. Values collected from dosimeter were then converted into cumulated life-time noise exposure which refers to the equivalent noise exposure per year (Jokitulppo, Tolvenen & Bjork, 2005). Results: Average cumulative life-time noise exposure of the participants is 72.54 dBA ± 6.9459. Fifty five percent reported of sometimes having tinnitus. No correlation was found between cumulative life-time noise exposure and tinnitus experience, and between pure tone hearing threshold and tinnitus experience. Conclusion: The cumulative life-time noise exposure among young adults in IIUM Kuantan was found to be lower than the level considered as hazardous. Despite reports of tinnitus experience, there was no evidence that the tinnitus was due to noise exposure. There was also no evidence on the association between tinnitus and hearing levels

The translation and adaptation of the parent proxy kid-kiddoKINDLR questionnaire on quality of life (QoS) for primary school-aged children with hearing impairment

The objectives of this paper are to translate and adapt the parent proxy Kid-KiddoKINDLRR questionnaire on Quality of Life (QoL) for children with hearing impairment into Malay language and to describe the translation techniques used, as well as the equivalence issues, with regards to morphology and semantics, encountered during the process. A combined technique of forward-backward translation was used following the translation protocol provided by KINDL developer. The techniques involved in the translation process were the forward translations by three translators, reconciliation between the translations. Next, this questionnaire was backward translated, and harmonised. As the types of equivalence were determined, several related issues were identified; vocabulary equivalence, idiomatic equivalence and grammatical-syntactical equivalence. However, it can be reported that there were no issues in experiential and conceptual equivalence during the process. The translation of this questionnaire is essential in order to shed light on the children’s QoL in the Malay speaking community

My-VRBQ: Translation and preliminary validation of the vestibular rehabilitation benefit questionnaire (VRBQ)

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to translate and adapt the Vestibular Rehabilitation Benefit Questionnaire (VRBQ) into Malay (My-VRBQ). This is to add on to the limited number of vestibular questionnaire available in Malay version. Methods: After the permission from the original author was obtained, the process of adaptation began with forward-translation as well as backward translation into English, then it is followed by content and face validations. Ten participants diagnosed with vestibular problems were recruited in the My-VRBQ for validation process. They were enlisted from two hospitals in the East Coast of Malaysia. Results: Based on the comments and suggestions made by the validators; some changes in terms of the appropriateness of the instructions, items and the sentence structure were made. In the consistency analysis, the My-VRBQ revealed good internal consistency based on Cronbach alpha values (0.77 to 0.96). Conclusion: A translated and validated My-VRBQ has the potential to be used clinically to document vestibular rehabilitation benefits. Nevertheless, future studies are encouraged to further support the present study findings

Trends in paediatric speech audiometry: a scoping review

Speech tests are essential assessment tools of auditory abilities for both adults and children. A scoping review was conducted with the aim to explore possible changes in materials and methods of paediatric speech tests between 1980 and 2019. Thirty-eight articles were selected, and the extractions of information were made related to the name of the paediatric speech test, country of origin, year of publication, language used in the speech test, the target age range for the speech test, and the procedural parameters. Exploration of the articles provided insights into current trends of paediatric speech test applications that should be taken into careful consideration when developing a new speech test for children

Tertiary Educators' Awareness of and Readiness to use Virtual Reality (VR) in Remote Online Learning

COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the conventional education landscape to online remote learning. However, this transition has brought about certain challenges such as low levels of student engagement and motivation, which raises the question of whether students are actually learning. Using Virtual Reality (VR) in teaching and learning (T&L) could increase engagement as it provides interactive experience that necessitates students’ online presence. Literature shows students are aware of VR benefits, yet not many tertiary educators are using VR. Thus, this study aims to investigate Malaysian tertiary educators’ awareness of VR and readiness to explore its potential in remote online T&L through a questionnaire survey adapted from previous studies that applied the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as their theoretical framework. Of 26 respondents, only 4 had VR experience in the classroom. While others lacked VR experience, their perceptions were positive, and they were aware of the challenges of using VR. It can be concluded these challenges are partly the reasons why VR is under-utilised. The findings implicate the need to train and familiarise tertiary educators in the use of VR for the continuous intention to use VR. It is believed that when more educators have more intimate knowledge of VR, the more students will benefit regardless if the classes are remote online or otherwise

Clinical training for the audiology students of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) during the covid-19 pandemic: the challenges vs. opportunities

Going through this pandemic, the Department of Audiology & Speech Language Pathology (DASLP), IIUM has adapted and devised several methods to help with the students’ clinical training, which includes Tele- Audiology services, virtual external clinical placement, simulated online clinic, online clinical observation and virtual clinical examinatio