A study of the portrayal of information related to (central) auditory processing disorder on social media

Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status Representation in U.S.-Based Randomized Controlled Trials of Tinnitus: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to investigate if peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for the management/treatment of tinnitus conducted in the United States include diverse participants in terms of gender, race/ethnicity, education, occupation, and income.

METHOD

We performed a comprehensive and systematic literature search via PubMed, Web of Science, Clinical-Trials.gov, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Our goal was to identify prospective RCTs of tinnitus intervention conducted in the United States from January 1994 to September 2021 and published in peer-reviewed journals.

RESULTS

A total of 2,584 studies were retrieved. Thirty-two peer-reviewed articles met all inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, approximately 96% reported participants' gender. Approximately 15% studies reported race/ethnicity information in alignment with the U.S. Census Bureau. However, an underrepresentation of both females and people of color was evident across studies. Reporting of socioeconomic status information of participants was also scarce, with only 25% studies reporting education and/or occupation of participants and 0% reporting income levels.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates underrepresentation and underreporting of diverse participant pools in tinnitus research. Reasons for such underrepresentation are explored. Additionally, this systematic review indicates that recent research in tinnitus portrays an optimistic trend in terms of reporting and recruitment of diverse participant groups. Sustainable strategies for including diverse research participants are essential for hearing health care equity. Research and strategies to promote this goal are discussed.

Social Media Use in Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Vestibular Disorders: A Systematic Review

Background:

People are increasingly using social media outlets for gathering health-related information. There has also been considerable interest from researchers and clinicians in understanding how social media is used by the general public, patients, and health professionals to gather health-related information. Interest in the use of social media for audiovestibular disorders has also received attention, although published evidence synthesis of this use is lacking. The objective of this review article was to synthesize existing research studies related to social media use concerning hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders.

Method:

Comprehensive searches were performed in multiple databases between October and November 2020 and again in June 2021 and March 2022, with additional reports identified from article citations and unpublished literature. This review article was presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Results:

A total of 1,512 articles were identified. Of these, 16 publications met the inclusion criteria. Overall, social media offered people the platform to learn about hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders via advice and support seeking, personal experience sharing, general information sharing, and relationship building. Research studies were more common on information and user activities seen on Facebook Pages, Twitter, and YouTube videos. Misinformation was identified across all social media platforms for each of these conditions.

Conclusions:

Online discussions about audiovestibular disorders are evident, although inconsistencies in study procedures make it difficult to compare these discussion groups. Misinformation is a concern needing to be addressed during clinical consultations as well as via other public health means. Uniform guidelines are needed for research regarding the use of social media so that outcomes are comparable. Moreover, clinical studies examining how exposure to and engagement with social media information may impact outcomes (e.g., help seeking, rehabilitation uptake, rehabilitation use, and satisfaction) require exploration.

Supplemental Material:

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20667672

Online, Asynchronous Hearing Education and Research Project for Ethnically Diverse Adolescents via Interprofessional Collaboration and Electronic Service-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study on the Needs and Challenges

Purpose This study discusses the creation of an online, asynchronous presentation to educate adolescents about prevention of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) through interprofessional collaborations and electronic service-learning (eSL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method The Hearing Education and Research (HEAR) presentation, which included activities and videos to educate a group of ethnically diverse adolescents (n = 100) on NIHL, was created by 11 doctor of audiology (AuD) students through online collaborations toward course-related eSL requirements. Adolescents responded to a baseline survey to assess hearing health-related behaviors prior to reviewing the presentation. A postprogram survey was administered 1 week after the presentation to assess change in knowledge and attitudes toward NIHL prevention. Online collaborations with schoolteachers helped with project implementation. Postreflection papers written by AuD students regarding the eSL activities were analyzed. Lastly, suggestions from a focus group of educators were included that highlight the role of interprofessional collaborations to enhance school-based hearing conservation opportunities. Results The HEAR presentation resulted in changes in knowledge about NIHL among the adolescents. Postreflection papers by the AuD students indicated that the eSL activity served as a high-impact pedagogical assignment, especially during the academic challenges of the pandemic. Feedback from a focus group of schoolteachers helped outline ideas for future implementation of sustainable hearing conservation programs in school settings. Conclusion The pilot data collected in this study serve as a proof of concept for future hearing conservation projects in school-based settings via interprofessional collaborations and by engaging university students via eSL.

Awareness of the Profession of Audiology Among Ethnically Diverse Adolescents: A Pre- and Post-Education Study

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge about the profession of Audiology among adolescents from diverse backgrounds before, immediately after, and 6 months after an educational program on the profession of Audiology. Method Adolescents (N = 152) from ethnically diverse backgrounds responded to a survey investigating their awareness about Audiology. Thereafter, they participated in an educational program on the profession of Audiology. One third of the participants were invited to respond to the survey immediately after the educational program. Six months after the educational program, 120 of the original sample of 152 participants responded again to the survey in order to assess if the gains from the educational program were retained. Results The results from the baseline survey indicated that approximately 25% of participants were aware about the profession of Audiology. None of the participants reported that balance assessment or management was within the scope of practice of audiologists in the baseline survey. The chi-square test indicated that the educational program resulted in significant enhancement in awareness about the profession of Audiology immediately after education. Results also indicated that the gains in knowledge were retained 6 months after education. Conclusion In light of the existing literature, it is clear that there is a need to recruit an ethnically diverse talent pool of individuals who will choose a career in Audiology in the forthcoming decades. Preliminary results from this study could be helpful in strategizing efforts to improve the visibility of Audiology to younger college aspirants. Advantages of reaching to school-age students at grassroots levels and educating them about the profession of Audiology are discussed in this article.