Audiology features
Hidden hearing loss in humans
Awareness of cochlear synaptopathy (‘hidden hearing loss’) is growing. Chris Plack gives us an introduction to the condition, defining it and reviewing recent research in humans and animals with respect to noise exposure. The main cause of hearing loss is...
A binaural detection task that reveals deficits in listeners having ‘slight’ or ‘hidden’ hearing loss
The association of degraded binaural processing in adults with clinically defined ‘slight’ or ‘hidden’ high frequency hearing loss is of great interest to clinicians if it can be measured. Leslie R Bernstein and Constantine Trahiotis share their findings in measurements...
Developing outcome measures for research
There are challenges in developing outcomes measures; Professor Hall presents five top pointers for making rapid progress in developing outcome measures for research purposes. Anyone who has worked clinically with hearing loss will appreciate that every patient’s experience is personal....
Hearing aid outcomes in older adults: what and when to measure
What matters to older adults when purchasing a hearing aid? Larry Humes explores the domains that should be measured for this key group. This article identifies key domains of hearing aid outcome in older adults. Increasingly, third-party payers and private-pay...
The basis of the bargain: outcomes not inputs
There are international drivers focusing our attention on measuring outcomes; Anthony Hogan looks at the data to see how we are currently measuring up. Introduction A global paradigm change is impacting on the provision of disability services. At its heart,...
Measuring client-centred outcomes in audiology: towards a parsimonious solution
From an international driver to the client-centred care model; in this article Anthony Hogan explores outcome measures for individual goal setting and measuring those outcomes. Introduction When people present for hearing help, they are typically looking for solutions to the...
Health related quality of life measures as outcome parameters in middle ear diseases
Surely the only outcome needed for post-surgical ears is a better PTA? Marcus Neudert argues there should be more to it than that. To draw a comprehensive picture of the disease-associated restrictions in patients with chronic otitis media, audiometric outcome...
The mounting burden of hearing loss worldwide: gearing up global collaboration
As audiology and ENT professionals we all have an inkling about the prevalence and impact of hearing loss, but the true gravity of the situation is even greater than previously thought… It may seem hard to believe, but in the...
The role of public health in addressing age-related hearing loss
Prevention and treatment of hearing loss needs to be viewed through a public health lens, but what does that look like? Kelly Reavis and colleagues explain the steps to addressing hearing healthcare from a public health perspective and why this...
World Health Assembly adopts a resolution on hearing loss: a defining moment for the global hearing health community
The World Health Assembly recently adopted a resolution on hearing loss. In this article Shelly Chadha and Alarcos Cieza outline how the resolution came to be and how the World Health Organization and its partners plan to implement it. The...
Public health planning for hearing impairment (2017)
In 2009 Professor Andrew Smith and Dr Daksha Patel identified the need for awareness of public health methods in hearing healthcare planning. In 2010 the first training course was held, and since then 760 health workers from 41 countries have...
Unanswered questions in adult ototoxicity associated with platinum-based chemotherapy
Do the potential side-effects on hearing and tinnitus need to be a ‘necessary evil’ of platinum-based chemotherapy? How strong is our evidence base when offering advice to patients and fellow clinicians? David Baguley and his team from the University of...