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International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2023Hand-arm vibration (HAV), which potentially causes vibration white finger (VWF), and occupational noise are serious issues in the agricultural and forestry industries.... (Review)
Review
Hand-arm vibration (HAV), which potentially causes vibration white finger (VWF), and occupational noise are serious issues in the agricultural and forestry industries. Generally, agricultural workers operate as single-family/small businesses and thus are exempted from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations/laws for noise and HAV otherwise applicable to other industries in general. The agricultural/forestry sectors are at increased risk as working hours are longer than a typical 8-h work shift putting them at greater risk of hearing loss. The study was conducted to assess the possible association between hearing sensitivity on combined exposure to noise and hand-arm vibration. A systematic literature review was conducted on exposure to noise and HAV in the agricultural/forestry sector and the resulting impacts on hearing. The peer-reviewed articles in English were searched with 14 search words in three databases of PubMed, Ergo Abstracts, and Web of Science without any filter for the year for fully available article text. The database literature search resulted in 72 articles. Forty-seven (47) articles met the search criteria based on the title. Abstracts were then reviewed for any relationship between hearing loss and hand-arm vibration/Raynaud's phenomenon/VWF. This left 18 articles. It was found that most agricultural workers and chainsaw workers are exposed to noise and VWF. Hearing is impacted by both noise and aging. The workers exposed to HAV and noise had greater hearing loss than non-exposed workers, possibly due to the additive effect on temporary threshold shift (TTS). It was found that VWF might be associated with vasospasm in the cochlea through autonomous vascular reflexes, digital arteries narrowing, vasoconstriction in the inner ear by noise, ischemic damage to the hair cells and increased oxygen demand, which significantly affects the correlation between VWF and hearing loss.
Topics: Humans; Forestry; Occupational Diseases; Vibration; Farmers; von Willebrand Factor; Hearing Loss; Deafness; Hearing; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 36901285
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054276 -
Journal of the American Medical... Oct 2022To investigate factors that influence hearing aid use according to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). The TDF is a behavioral science framework that aids... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To investigate factors that influence hearing aid use according to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). The TDF is a behavioral science framework that aids understanding of factors that influence behavior.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS
People living in the community with dementia and age-related hearing loss who have air conduction hearing aids.
METHODS
Systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines. We searched for studies in 9 databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, and OpenGrey. We undertook an interpretive data synthesis by mapping findings onto the TDF. We assessed confidence in the findings according to the GRADE-CERQual approach.
RESULTS
Twelve studies (6 quantitative, 3 qualitative, and 3 mixed methods) were included in the review. The majority of these were rated low-moderate quality. We identified 27 component constructs (facilitators, barriers, or noncorrelates of hearing aid use) nested within the 14 domains of the TDF framework. Our GRADE-CERQual confidence rating was high for 5 findings. These suggest that hearing aid use for people living in the community with dementia and hearing loss is influenced by (1) degree of hearing aid handling proficiency, (2) positive experiential consequences, (3) degree of hearing aid comfort or fit, (4) person-environment interactions, and (5) social reinforcement.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Hearing aid interventions should adopt a multifaceted approach that optimizes the capabilities of people with dementia to handle and use hearing aids; addresses or capitalizes on their motivation; and ensures their primary support network is supportive and encouraging of hearing aid use. The findings also emphasize the need for further high-quality research that investigates optimal hearing aid use, influencing factors, and interventions that support hearing aid use.
Topics: Dementia; Hearing Aids; Hearing Loss; Humans; Quality of Life
PubMed: 35988590
DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2022.07.011 -
BMC Primary Care Mar 2024Early detection of long-term, often asymptomatic, middle ear infection in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is more likely to be achieved when ear...
Development of the national consensus statement on ear health and hearing check recommendations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged under 6 years attending primary care: systematic scoping review and e-Delphi.
BACKGROUND
Early detection of long-term, often asymptomatic, middle ear infection in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children is more likely to be achieved when ear health and hearing checks are routinely undertaken in primary healthcare. Evidence consistently demonstrates the adverse impacts of this condition on the development and wellbeing of children and their families. We aimed to develop feasible, evidence- and consensus-based primary healthcare recommendations addressing the components and timing of ear health and hearing checks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged under 6 years, not already known to have, nor being actively managed for, ear and hearing problems.
METHODS
A 22-person working group comprising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous members from the primary healthcare, ear, hearing, and research sectors provided guidance of the project. A systematic scoping review addressed research questions relating to primary health ear health and hearing checks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other populations at increased risk of persistent ear health problems. Twelve primary studies and eleven guidelines published between 1998 and 2020 were identified and reviewed. Quality and certainty of evidence and risk of bias ratings were completed for studies and guidelines. In the absence of certain and direct evidence, findings and draft recommendations were presented for consensus input to a 79-member expert panel using a modified e-Delphi process. Recommendations were finalised in consultation with working group members and presented to expert panel members for input on considerations relating to implementation.
RESULTS
Overall, the quality, certainty, and directness of evidence in the studies and guidelines reviewed was low. However, the findings provided a basis and structure for the draft recommendations presented during the consensus-building process. After two e-Delphi rounds, seven goals and eight recommendations on the components and timing of Ear Health and Hearing Checks in primary healthcare for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were developed.
CONCLUSIONS
The systematic scoping review and consensus-building process provided a pragmatic approach for producing strong recommendations within a reasonably short timeframe, despite the low quality and certainty of evidence, and paucity of studies pertaining to primary healthcare settings.
Topics: Child; Humans; Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples; Hearing; Deafness; Consensus; Persistent Infection; Primary Health Care
PubMed: 38486181
DOI: 10.1186/s12875-024-02307-6 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Jul 2021Despite early identification and advancements in cochlear implant and hearing aid technology, delays in language skills in deaf children continue to exist. Good-quality... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Despite early identification and advancements in cochlear implant and hearing aid technology, delays in language skills in deaf children continue to exist. Good-quality parent-child interaction (PCI) is a key predictor for the successful development of deaf children's signed and/or spoken language. Though professionals have standard assessments to monitor child language, a clinical tool to observe the quality of parental interaction is yet to be developed.
AIMS AND METHODS
This systematic review with narrative synthesis aims to uncover which parent behaviours are assessed in PCI studies with deaf infants aged 0-3 years, how these behaviours are assessed, and which are correlated with higher scores in child language.
RESULTS
Sixty-one papers were included, spanning 40 years of research. Research included in the review assessed parents' skills in gaining attention, joint engagement, emotional sensitivity, and language input. PCI was mostly assessed using coding systems and frame-by-frame video analysis. Some of the parent behaviours mentioned previously are associated with more words produced by deaf children.
CONCLUSION
The results of the review provide the evidence base required to develop the content of a future clinical assessment tool for parent-child interaction in deafness.
PubMed: 34362128
DOI: 10.3390/jcm10153345 -
Genetics in Medicine : Official Journal... Jan 2023
Correspondence on "The views of people with a lived experience of deafness and the general public regarding genetic testing for deafness in the reproductive setting: A systematic review" by Freeman et al.
Topics: Humans; Genetic Testing; Deafness; Reproduction
PubMed: 36378227
DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2022.08.032 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Mar 2020Neuroplasticity following bilateral deafness and auditory restoration has been repeatedly investigated. In clinical practice, however, a significant number of patients... (Review)
Review
Neuroplasticity following bilateral deafness and auditory restoration has been repeatedly investigated. In clinical practice, however, a significant number of patients present a severe-to-profound unilateral hearing loss (UHL). To date, less is known about the neuroplasticity following monaural hearing deprivation and auditory input restoration. This article provides an overview of the current research insights on the impact of UHL on the brain and the effect of auditory input restoration with a cochlear implant (CI). An exhaustive systematic review of the literature was performed selecting 38 studies that apply different neural analyses techniques. The main results show that the hearing ear becomes functionally dominant after monaural deprivation, reshaping the lateralization of the neural network for auditory processing, a process that can be considered to influence auditory restoration. Furthermore, animal models predict that the onset time of UHL impacts auditory restoration. Hence, the results seem to advocate for early restoration of UHL, although further research is required to disambiguate the effects of duration and onset of UHL on auditory restoration and on structural neuroplasticity following UHL deprivation and restoration. Ongoing developments on CI devices compatible with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) examinations will provide a unique opportunity to investigate structural and functional neuroplasticity following CI restoration more directly.
PubMed: 32192018
DOI: 10.3390/jcm9030812 -
Medicine Mar 2020Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS), also known as Hunt syndrome, is caused by varicella-zoster virus infection. The virus often invades the facial nerve geniculate ganglion to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS), also known as Hunt syndrome, is caused by varicella-zoster virus infection. The virus often invades the facial nerve geniculate ganglion to cause peripheral facial paralysis, accompanied by severe ear pain, auricular herpes zoster, tinnitus, deafness, vertigo, and other inner ear neurologic symptoms. The acupuncture has a long history as a traditional treatment of traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of Hunt syndrome, with few adverse events and low cost. However, there are few evidences for the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for Hunt syndrome. Hence, we plan this systematic review and meta-analysis protocol to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for Hunt syndrome.
METHODS
Four English databases will be searched from their inception to February 2019, including Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, OVID, and 4 Chinese databases, including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database [CBM], China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], CQVIP, and Wanfang. No restriction was imposed for language or publication period. Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) compared any form of acupuncture with/without additional treatment against sham or no treatment or same additional treatment. Data will be extracted and evaluated by 2 reviewers independently. RevMan 5.3 software will be used for data analysis when a meta-analysis is allowed.
RESULTS
This systematic review and meta-analysis will provide an evidence of acupuncture for RHS.
CONCLUSION
This study will determine whether acupuncture is an effective and safe intervention for RHS. PROSPERO registration number: CRD 42019118283.
Topics: Acupuncture Therapy; Humans; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Myoclonic Cerebellar Dyssynergia; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Research Design
PubMed: 32221076
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000019582 -
Journal of Cancer Education : the... Feb 2023Patients affected from hearing loss face many problems when visiting oncologists. We conducted a systematic review to survey if cancer education programs can promote... (Review)
Review
Patients affected from hearing loss face many problems when visiting oncologists. We conducted a systematic review to survey if cancer education programs can promote health literacy among deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) patients. The authors searched two databases for RCTs, and cohort studies with interventions promoting cancer health literacy for adult DHH patients. Risk of bias was assessed with SIGN Methodology Checklist for RCTs, and cohort studies. Significance of mean changes over time, and mean differences between comparison groups were used to present outcomes of each study. Surveyed interventions addressed three domains: cancer knowledge, coping skills, and cancer screening. Key information was gathered and synthesized providing a juxtaposition of the content and presenting important effects in detail. Nine RCTs and seven cohorts with 1865 participants were included. In total, 13 studies showed that cancer health literacy interventions improved mean scores significantly from pre- to post-test measures. There are hints that captioning and written texts may be sufficient for milder forms of hearing loss. Three studies showed that resiliency skill training promotes various domains of well-being. Three studies indicated that educational interventions encourage cancer screening practices. Educational programs are an effective way to promote cancer health literacy among DHH patients to facilitate communication with oncologists. As extent of hearing loss was not assessed, the authors cannot say the degree to which results are applicable to all degrees of hearing loss. To obtain hard data, further studies with more diverse populations, various cancer entities, different methods, and exact hearing loss assessments are required.
Topics: Humans; Health Literacy; Persons With Hearing Impairments; Health Promotion; Deafness; Neoplasms
PubMed: 36117200
DOI: 10.1007/s13187-022-02222-3 -
BMJ Open Jan 2021Abandonment of vision, hearing or mobility aids suggests common barriers and facilitators to ongoing device use. However, the possible interactive effects of combined... (Review)
Review
Device abandonment in deafblindness: a scoping review of the intersection of functionality and usability through the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health lens.
OBJECTIVES
Abandonment of vision, hearing or mobility aids suggests common barriers and facilitators to ongoing device use. However, the possible interactive effects of combined hearing and vision disabilities on device use by those living with deafblindness are unclear. Here we summarise existing knowledge on variables influencing assistive technology use from the perspective of persons living with deafblindness. We used the WHO's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework to contextualise the findings, asking 'What is currently known about variables influencing the (non-)use of assistive devices recommended for persons with deafblindness?'
DESIGN
A scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews Checklist.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed; ProQuest: ERIC; ProQuest Dissertation; ProQuest: Sociological Thesaurus; Web of Science; Scientific Electronic Library Online; Bielefeld Academic Search Engine; Pascal & Francis; APA PsycINFO and Ebsco for CINAHL were searched through 9 November 2020.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
We included peer-reviewed studies that reported on assistive technology, device abandonment/utilisation and provided data from persons living with deafblindness.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Four team members independently scored 83 studies for eligibility.
RESULTS
Ten articles were chosen for data extraction. The emerging variables replicated established categories of barriers and facilitators: personal, device-related, environmental and intervention variables. The use of the ICF highlighted how an intermediate variable (eg, device acceptability) was necessary in order for a variable to become a barrier or a facilitator to device use.
CONCLUSIONS
The variables influencing device use by persons with deafblindness followed the same categories described for single impairments. Usability was challenged in devices that rely on the 'other' sense. Haptic and tactile aids are rarely studied. The limited available information and the dire need for assistive technologies for people with deafblindness emphasises the urgency of research and technology development for this marginalised population.
Topics: Deaf-Blind Disorders; Disabled Persons; Humans; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; Self-Help Devices
PubMed: 33495263
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044873 -
Trends in Hearing 2022Motivation influences the amount of listening effort (LE) exerted or experienced under challenging conditions, such as in high-noise environments. This systematic review... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Motivation influences the amount of listening effort (LE) exerted or experienced under challenging conditions, such as in high-noise environments. This systematic review and meta-analysis is the first to quantify the effects of motivation on LE. The review was pre-registered in PROSPERO, and performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Eligible studies examined the influence of motivation or individual traits (related to motivation) on LE in adults. Motivational factors, coded as independent variables, included financial reward, evaluative threat, perceived competence, feedback, and individual traits. LE outcomes were categorized as subjective, behavioral, or physiological. The quality of evidence was assessed using an adaptation of the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Nested random-effects meta-analyses were performed to quantify and compare the influence of motivational factors across LE outcomes. After assessing 3,532 records, 48 studies met the inclusion criteria and 43 were included in the meta-analyses. Risk of bias was high, for example, many studies lacked sample size justification. Motivational factors had a small-to-medium effect (mean Cohen's = 0.34, range: 0.11-0.72) on LE. When LE outcomes were considered collectively, an external manipulation of motivation (perceived competence) produced a larger mean effect size compared with individual traits. Some combinations of motivational factors and LE outcomes produced more robust effects than others, for example, evaluative threat and subjective LE outcomes. Although wide prediction intervals and high risk of bias mean that significant positive effects cannot be guaranteed, these findings provide useful guidance on the selection of motivational factors and LE outcomes for future research.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Listening Effort; Motivation
PubMed: 35077257
DOI: 10.1177/23312165211059982