Supporting hearing health in vulnerable populations through community care workers using mHealth technologies
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Date
Authors
Van Wyk, Tanith
Mahomed-Asmail, Faheema
Swanepoel, De Wet
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis
Abstract
OBJECTIVE : Access to hearing care is challenging in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of hearing loss is greatest. This study investigated a community-based hearing screening programme using smartphone testing by community care workers (CCWs) in vulnerable populations infected or affected by HIV. Experiences of CCWs were also surveyed.
DESIGN : The study comprised two phases. Phase one employed a cross-sectional research design to describe the community-based programme. Phase two was a survey design to describe CCW’s knowledge and experiences.
STUDY SAMPLE : Fifteen trained CCWs administered hearing screenings on 511 participants during home-based visits using a validated smartphone application (hearScreen™) during phase one. Diagnostic follow-up assessments included evaluation using the smartphone test (hearTest™), otoscopy and tympanometry. Phase two surveyed the 15 CCW screening experiences.
RESULTS : Referral rates for adults and children were 5.0% and 4.2%, respectively. 75.0% of referred participants returned for follow-up diagnostic assessments, 33.3% were diagnosed with hearing loss and referred for further intervention. All 15 CCWs agreed that communities needed hearing services and only 6.6% did not want to continue providing hearing screening.
CONCLUSION : Trained CCWs can decentralise hearing services to vulnerable communities using smartphone screening incorporating automated testing and measures of quality control.
Description
Keywords
Community health worker (CHW), Mobile health (mHealth), Community based, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), Smartphone, Tele-assisted, Vulnerable
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Tanith van Wyk, Faheema Mahomed-Asmail & De Wet Swanepoel
(2019) Supporting hearing health in vulnerable populations through community care workers using mHealth technologies, International Journal of Audiology, 58:11, 790-797, DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2019.1649478.