Dataset Information

The Baltimore HEARS Pilot Study: An Affordable, Accessible, Community-Delivered Hearing Care Intervention.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose of the study

Age-related hearing loss negatively affects health outcomes, yet disparities in hearing care, such as hearing aid use, exist based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position. Recent national efforts highlight reduction of hearing care disparities as a public health imperative. This study a) describes a community engagement approach to addressing disparities, b) reports preliminary outcomes of a novel intervention, and c) discusses implementation processes and potential for wide-scale testing and use.

Design and methods

This was a prospective, randomized control pilot, with a 3-month delayed treatment group as a waitlist control, that assessed feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a community-delivered, affordable, and accessible intervention for older adults with hearing loss. Outcomes were assessed at 3 months, comparing immediate and delayed groups, and pooled to compare the cohort's pre- and 3-month post-intervention results.

Results

All participants completed the study (n = 15). The program was highly acceptable: 93% benefited, 100% would recommend the program, and 67% wanted to serve as future program trainers. At 3 months, the treated group (n = 8) experienced fewer social and emotional effects of hearing loss and fewer depressive symptoms as compared to the delayed treatment group (n = 7). Pooling 3-month post-intervention scores (n = 15), participants reported fewer negative hearing-related effects (effect size = -0.96) and reduced depressive symptoms (effect size = -0.43).

Implications

The HEARS (Hearing Equality through Accessible Research & Solutions) intervention is feasible, acceptable, low risk, and demonstrates preliminary efficacy. HEARS offers a novel, low-cost, and readily scalable solution to reduce hearing care disparities and highlights how a community-engaged approach to intervention development can address disparities.

SUBMITTER: Nieman CL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5881797 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The Baltimore HEARS Pilot Study: An Affordable, Accessible, Community-Delivered Hearing Care Intervention.

Nieman Carrie L CL Marrone Nicole N Mamo Sara K SK Betz Joshua J Choi Janet S JS Contrera Kevin J KJ Thorpe Roland J RJ Gitlin Laura N LN Tanner Elizabeth K EK Han Hae-Ra HR Szanton Sarah L SL Lin Frank R FR

The Gerontologist 20171101 6

<h4>Purpose of the study</h4>Age-related hearing loss negatively affects health outcomes, yet disparities in hearing care, such as hearing aid use, exist based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position. Recent national efforts highlight reduction of hearing care disparities as a public health imperative. This study a) describes a community engagement approach to addressing disparities, b) reports preliminary outcomes of a novel intervention, and c) discusses implementation processes and poten ...[more]

PMID: 27927734

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Dataset Information

The Baltimore HEARS Pilot Study: An Affordable, Accessible, Community-Delivered Hearing Care Intervention.

Purpose of the study

Design and methods

Results

Implications

Publications

The Baltimore HEARS Pilot Study: An Affordable, Accessible, Community-Delivered Hearing Care Intervention.

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