Challenges Faced by Individuals with Hearing Impairment during COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in India - A Pilot Study

COVID - 19 (Corona Virus Infectious Disease) situations reported in 2019, declared by World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic is still a prevailing global crisis. Common regulations were implemented such as lockdown, wearing face masks as mandatory, face shields, gloves and maintaining physical and social distance in public places to reduce the spread of the virus. These pandemic induced challenges affected social communication, technical and behavioral aspects in lifestyle of people with hearing impairment. Along with medical, paramedical services, the crisis had challenged hearing, speech language pathology and therapy services too. The study aimed to explore the challenges that adults with hearing impairment had experienced during the pandemic and to suggest some practical solutions that can be implemented by audiologists. It is a questionnaire-based study with purposive sampling method employed in data collection. The questionnaire was administered on adult hearing aid users (mean age: 18 years) recruited for participation from different parts/ clinical setups across India. The outcome of the questionnaire did support the assumption that availing audiological services was difficult or impossible for most of the hearing aid users. Accessing batteries was reported to be the most frequent issue. Adequate level of hearing though hearing aid was important to them and clinical services could not be availed for long period of time due to travel related issues and closure of audiological services. Also, social isolation impacted on their quality of life and effective communication. As a possible solution most of the users chose tele services as a better solution.

Effect of Musical Experience on Cochlear Frequency Resolution: An Estimation of PTCs, DLF and SOAEs

Background

: There is a lot of debate on whether musical experience/training can affect cochlear filter characteristics and thereby enhance frequency resolution skills in musicians (Ms). Thus, the objective of the study was to compare between Ms and non-musicians (NMs) and correlate the frequency resolution skills with years of musical experience, the difference limen for frequency (DLF), and the Q10 values of psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) measured at 2 characteristic frequencies (CFs), 1000 and 4000 Hz. The secondary objective was to find out whether spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) can be recorded among Ms more frequently than among NMs.

Methods:

Thirty-six listeners with normal hearing participated in the study. They were 18 Ms with a minimum of 8 years of musical experience, and 18 NMs. Forward-masked PTCs and DLF tests were assessed for each listener in the right ear at 2 CFs, 1 and 4 kHz, and SOAEs were measured using standard protocol.

Results:

The results obtained indicated that values of the psychophysical measures, DLF and Q10, were better among the Ms group. Statistically significant differences were seen when measurements were done at 1 KHz and 4 KHz. SOAEs were recorded in a higher number of Ms than NMs. Musical experience had a moderate positive correlation with PTC Q10 values at both 1 and 4 kHz, but not DLF values.

Conclusion:

This study indicates that musical experience enhances peripheral filtering, and thereby betters cochlear frequency selectivity in Ms.