Thorén Elisabet, Svensson Monica, Törnqvist Anna, Andersson Gerhard, Carlbring Per, Lunner Thomas
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Sweden.
J Am Acad Audiol. 2011 May;22(5):274-85. doi: 10.3766/jaaa.22.5.4.
By using the Internet in the audiological rehabilitation process, it might be possible in a cost-effective way to include additional rehabilitation components by informing and guiding hearing aid users about such topics as communication strategies, hearing tactics, and how to handle hearing aids.
To evaluate the effectiveness of an online education program for adult experienced hearing aid users including professional guidance by an audiologist and compare it with the effects of participation in an online discussion forum without any professional contact.
A randomized controlled study with two groups of participants. Repeated measures at prestudy, immediate follow-up, and a 6 mo follow-up.
Fifty-nine experienced hearing aid users participated in the study, ranging in age from 24 to 84 yr (mean 63.5 yr).
The intervention group (N = 29) underwent a five-week rehabilitative online education in which activities for each week included information, tasks, and assignments, and contact with a professional audiologist was included. The participants in the control group (N = 30) were referred to an online discussion forum without any audiologist contact.
A set of questionnaires administered online were used as outcome measures: (1) Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, (2) International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids, (3) Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life, and (4) Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.
Significant improvements measured by the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly were found in both groups of participants, and the effects were maintained at the 6 mo follow-up. The results on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale showed that the participants in the intervention group showed reduced symptoms of depression immediately/6 mo after the intervention. At the 6 mo follow-up participants in the control group reported fewer symptoms of anxiety than they did before the intervention started.
This study provides preliminary evidence that the Internet can be used to deliver education to experienced hearing aid users who report residual hearing problems such that their problems are reduced by the intervention. The study also suggests that online discussion forums could be used in rehabilitation. A combination of online professional supervised education and online informal discussions could be a promising rehabilitation tool.
在听力学康复过程中使用互联网，通过向助听器使用者提供沟通策略、听力技巧以及如何使用助听器等方面的信息和指导，以具有成本效益的方式纳入额外的康复内容或许是可行的。
评估一项针对成年有经验的助听器使用者的在线教育项目（包括听力学家的专业指导）的有效性，并将其与参与无任何专业联系的在线讨论论坛的效果进行比较。
一项有两组参与者的随机对照研究。在研究前、即时随访和6个月随访时进行重复测量。
59名有经验的助听器使用者参与了该研究，年龄在24岁至84岁之间（平均63.5岁）。
干预组（N = 29）接受了为期五周的在线康复教育，其中每周的活动包括信息、任务和作业，并与专业听力学家进行联系。对照组（N = 30）的参与者被推荐到一个无听力学家联系的在线讨论论坛。
一组在线发放的问卷用作结果测量指标：（1）老年人听力障碍量表，（2）助听器国际结果量表，（3）日常生活中对放大装置的满意度，以及（4）医院焦虑抑郁量表。
两组参与者在老年人听力障碍量表上的测量结果均有显著改善，且在6个月随访时效果得以维持。医院焦虑抑郁量表的结果显示，干预组参与者在干预后立即/6个月时抑郁症状减轻。在6个月随访时，对照组参与者报告的焦虑症状比干预开始前减少。
本研究提供了初步证据，表明互联网可用于为报告有残余听力问题的有经验的助听器使用者提供教育，使他们的问题通过干预得以减轻。该研究还表明在线讨论论坛可用于康复。在线专业监督教育和在线非正式讨论相结合可能是一种有前景的康复工具。
