TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communication among individuals with and without hearing impairment
AU - Jansen, Lotte A.
AU - van Wier, Marieke F.
AU - Lissenberg-Witte, Birgit I.
AU - Kramer, Sophia E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objective: This study assessed the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) preventative measures on hearing and communication among individuals with normal and impaired hearing. We also evaluated the use of digital communication tools between these groups. Design: For this cross-sectional study, participants completed an online digits-in-noise test and survey. Survey topics included understanding through masks, behind plastic screens, from a 1.5-m distance, and use of social network sites/apps, direct messaging, and video calling. Logistic regressions assessed the odds of disagreeing versus agreeing with survey statements. Study Sample: A total of 880 adults from the National Longitudinal Study on Hearing completed a survey and hearing test. Based on speech reception threshold scores, participants were categorised into “good” (reference group for all analyses), “insufficient”, or “poor” hearing groups. Results: Those with insufficient and poor hearing had more difficulty understanding others through facemasks, plastic screens, and from 1.5 m. Those with poor hearing had a higher odds of video calling more to contact family/friends/acquaintances during the pandemic, but also had more difficulty hearing sufficiently through video calls. Conclusions: This study addresses methodological weaknesses in previous studies. Results strengthen current evidence of the burden COVID-19 measures place on individuals with hearing impairment.
AB - Objective: This study assessed the impact of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) preventative measures on hearing and communication among individuals with normal and impaired hearing. We also evaluated the use of digital communication tools between these groups. Design: For this cross-sectional study, participants completed an online digits-in-noise test and survey. Survey topics included understanding through masks, behind plastic screens, from a 1.5-m distance, and use of social network sites/apps, direct messaging, and video calling. Logistic regressions assessed the odds of disagreeing versus agreeing with survey statements. Study Sample: A total of 880 adults from the National Longitudinal Study on Hearing completed a survey and hearing test. Based on speech reception threshold scores, participants were categorised into “good” (reference group for all analyses), “insufficient”, or “poor” hearing groups. Results: Those with insufficient and poor hearing had more difficulty understanding others through facemasks, plastic screens, and from 1.5 m. Those with poor hearing had a higher odds of video calling more to contact family/friends/acquaintances during the pandemic, but also had more difficulty hearing sufficiently through video calls. Conclusions: This study addresses methodological weaknesses in previous studies. Results strengthen current evidence of the burden COVID-19 measures place on individuals with hearing impairment.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Hearing impairment
KW - communication
KW - facemasks
KW - social distancing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144207633&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2022.2152742
DO - https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2022.2152742
M3 - Article
C2 - 36519283
SN - 1499-2027
JO - International Journal of Audiology
JF - International Journal of Audiology
ER -