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Han SY, Seo HW, Lee SH, Chung JH. Physical Inactivity and Sedentariness in Older Hearing Loss patients: Restoration With Hearing Aids. Laryngoscope 2024. [PMID: 39016167 DOI: 10.1002/lary.31638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hearing loss causes numerous functional deficits. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the association between hearing loss and physical inactivity. This study aimed to evaluate the physical activity and sedentary behavior of hearing loss patients and their relation with the use of hearing aids. MATERIALS AND METHODS We extracted participants over 60 years of age with information on hearing status and physical activities from the eighth Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey conducted from 2019 to 2020. We classified them into four groups: a normal hearing group (≤25 dB), a mild hearing loss group (>25 dB and ≤40 dB), a moderate hearing loss group (>40 dB and ≤50 dB), and a non-serviceable hearing group (>50 dB). Additionally, we extracted hearing aid users with hearing levels exceeding 50 dB. RESULTS After adjusting other factors, the non-serviceable hearing group walked less frequently than the moderate (p = 0.004) and mild hearing loss group (p < 0.001) and walked less and sat more than the normal hearing group (walking frequency: p < 0.001; walking time: p = 0.020; and sitting time: p = 0.034). Also, the hearing aid users walked more frequently (p = 0.003) and for longer (p = 0.045) than the non-serviceable hearing group. CONCLUSION Hearing loss is associated with reduced walking and a sedentary lifestyle. The use of hearing aids is associated with improved physical activity. Appropriate interventions, including hearing aids, should be provided to hearing loss patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 (individual cross-sectional study) Laryngoscope, 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Yoon Han
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee Won Seo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hwan Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Ho Chung
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Park M, Jang SI, Hurh K, Park EC, Kim SH. Increased Risk of Dementia Following a Diagnosis of Hearing Impairment: A South Korean Nationwide Cohort Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 97:679-686. [PMID: 38143356 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among the older adults, hearing impairment is a common problem and may contribute to dementia. OBJECTIVE Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between hearing impairment and the risk of dementia among older adults in South Korea. METHODS Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Senior Cohort from 2005 to 2019, we collected data of 44,728 patients. Hearing impairment was determined using the national disability registry. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed to match patients with and without hearing impairment (case: 22,364, control: 22,364). A Cox proportional hazards regression model was built to analyze the association between hearing impairment and dementia. RESULTS Patients with hearing impairment had a higher risk of dementia than those without hearing impairment (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.23-1.34). Assessing the degree of disability, both severe (HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.16-1.35) and mild conditions (HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.23-1.35) had an increased risk of dementia, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Older patients with hearing impairment exhibit an increased risk of dementia, thereby warranting a new approach to dementia care among these patients regardless of the degree of hearing impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minah Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-In Jang
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungduk Hurh
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Cheol Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hoon Kim
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Eulji University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ophthalmology, Daejeon Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
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Chung JCY, Lowenthal R, Mevorach C, Paula CS, Teixeira MCTV, Woodcock KA. Cross-Cultural Comparison of the Contexts Associated with Emotional Outbursts. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4229-4242. [PMID: 35984587 PMCID: PMC10539459 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05708-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
The causal relationship between emotional outbursts and emotion dysregulation is proposed to be heterogeneous, but cultural influences have not been considered despite established cultural differences in emotional processes (e.g., increased motivation to suppress emotions in interdependent cultures). Responses to the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Emotional Outburst Questionnaire were collected from 327 caregivers of young people (6-25 years) with autism spectrum disorder, Down's syndrome, or intellectual disability. Responses were compared to a previous sample of 268 responses from the English version of the questionnaire. The latent factor structure of the contextual items was measurement invariant across both versions. The Brazilian responses were classified into three distinct clusters (Sensory Sensitivity; Perceived Safety; Perceived Unsafety) which considerably overlapped with the English clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosane Lowenthal
- Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carmel Mevorach
- School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2SA, UK
| | - Cristiane Silvestre Paula
- Developmental Disorders Program and Mackenzie Center for Research in Childhood and Adolescence at Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Kate Anne Woodcock
- Centre for Applied Psychology, School of Psychology & Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
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Jo S, Park MK, Seo JH, Lee KE, Han JS, Lim JH, Lee JH, Oh SH. Feasibility of a Smartphone-Based Hearing Aid App for Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss: Prospective Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2023; 11:e46911. [PMID: 37800887 PMCID: PMC10578122 DOI: 10.2196/46911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hearing loss is a growing health concern worldwide. Hearing aids (HAs) are the treatment of choice for hearing rehabilitation in most cases of mild-to-moderate hearing loss. However, many patients with hearing loss do not use HAs due to their high cost, stigma, and inaccessibility. Since smartphones are widely used, many apps that mimic the amplification function of HAs have been introduced. Smartphone-based HA apps (SHAAs) are affordable and easy to access. However, the audiological benefit of SHAAs has not been determined. Objective We compared the audiological performance between an SHAA and a conventional HA in a prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial. Methods Patients with mild-to-moderate hearing loss were prospectively enrolled from 2 tertiary hospitals and randomly assigned to either an SHAA (Petralex; IT4YOU Corp LLC) or a conventional HA (Siya 1 miniRITE; Oticon A/S). For the cross-over study design, participants used the alternate device and repeated the same 2-month trial. Audiological measurements were obtained using hearing tests, real-ear measurements, and the hearing-in-noise test (HINT). Subjective satisfaction was evaluated using the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) and International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA). Results Overall, 63 participants were screened and 38 completed the study. In sound-field audiometry testing, the SHAA showed a 20- to 60-dB gain in the low-to-high frequencies of the hearing threshold level. The HA provided adequate gain in the middle-to-high frequencies (55, 65, and 75 dB in real-ear measurements), which is the sound level for most speaking volumes. However, the SHAA could not improve word recognition at 50 dB. The HA showed better audiological performance than the SHAA in both quiet and noisy conditions in the HINT. The IOI-HA scores were significantly improved by both the HA and SHAA versus unaided conditions. Among the SHAA users, 37% (14/38), 42% (16/38), 24% (9/38), and 32% (12/38) showed improvement in APHAB scores for ease of communication, reverberation, background noise, and aversiveness of sounds, respectively. There were no differences in adverse events between the 2 study groups. Conclusions The HA showed better performance than the SHAA in word recognition and the HINT. However, the SHAA was significantly better than unaided hearing in terms of amplification. The SHAA may be a useful hearing assistance device for patients with mild-to-moderate hearing loss when listening to soft sounds in quiet conditions. The SHAA demonstrated poorer performance than the HA in the mid- to high-frequency sounds that are important for word recognition, sound quality, and hearing in noisy conditions. Further development of the signal technology of SHAAs is needed to improve the sound quality of mid- to high-frequency sounds and overcome noisy environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sungmin Jo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Graduate School, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Moo Kyun Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae-Hyun Seo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-eun Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Sang Han
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyung Lim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Ho Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Ha Oh
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Sensory Organ Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Yoon CY, Lee J, Kong TH, Seo YJ. Effect of changes in the hearing aid subsidy on the prevalence of hearing loss in South Korea. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1215494. [PMID: 37780724 PMCID: PMC10536239 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1215494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives South Korea's National Health Insurance has provided hearing aids to registered individuals with hearing disabilities since 1989. In 2015, hearing aid subsidies increased to approximately US$1,000. This study aimed to understand hearing loss categories in Korea by analyzing patients between 2010 and 2020 and the effect of the 2015 hearing aid policy change on the prevalence of hearing loss. Methods The participants were patients registered on the National Health Insurance Service database from 2010 to 2020 with hearing loss. A total of 5,784,429 patients were included in this study. Hearing loss was classified into conductive, sensorineural, and other categories. Patients with hearing loss were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases diagnostic code. Disability diagnosis and hearing aid prescription were defined using the National Health Insurance Disability and Hearing Aid Code. Results The increase in hearing aid prescriptions and hearing disability registrations following the subsidy increase impacts hearing loss prevalence. Hearing aid prescription and hearing disability were found to have an effect on increasing hearing loss prevalence in univariate and multivariate analyses. The r-value of each analysis exceeded 0.95. Other hearing losses increased rapidly after the increased subsidy. Conclusion A hearing-impaired individual must be diagnosed with a hearing disability and prescribed a hearing aid to receive the subsidy. The prevalence of hearing loss was affected by increased hearing disabilities following changes in the hearing aid subsidy and the number of people prescribed hearing aids. Therefore, caution should be exercised when studying hearing loss prevalence over mid-long-term periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chul Young Yoon
- Research Institute of Hearing Enhancement, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biostatistics, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhun Lee
- Research Institute of Hearing Enhancement, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biostatistics, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Hoon Kong
- Research Institute of Hearing Enhancement, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Joon Seo
- Research Institute of Hearing Enhancement, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
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