Sign language based educational interventions vs. other educational interventions to improve the oral health of hearing-impaired individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with special needs requiring special care are more vulnerable to oral health problems. Sign language is a communication medium and language of instruction for individuals with hearing impairments. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of sign language-based educational interventions compared to other educational interventions in improving the oral health of hearing-impaired individuals. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched without any restriction on the publication date. Analytical and experimental studies that evaluated and compared the effectiveness of sign language with other educational intervention groups such as videos, posters etc were included. RESULTS: Initially, 5568 records were identified. Three relevant publications from India were eligible and included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Differences were reported in favour of sign language over other interventions concerning plaque status, gingival health, and oral hygiene status. CONCLUSION: Sign language-based interventions were found to be effective. However, further studies in different locations and populations are required to support their effectiveness.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients are unsatisfied with and avoid German health care: Results from an online survey in German Sign Language.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 235,000 deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) people live in Germany. Due to communication barriers, medical care for this group is difficult in many respects. Especially in the case of acute illnesses, the possibilities of communication, e.g., through sign language interpreters, are limited. This study investigates the satisfaction of DHH patients with medical care in Germany in unplanned medical consultations. The aim of this study is to provide insights into DHH patient's perception of medical care, to identify barriers and avoidance behaviours that stem from fears, miscommunication, and prior experiences. METHODS: We obtained data from adult DHH participants between February and April 2022 throughout Germany via an online survey in German Sign Language. The responses of N = 383 participants (65% female, M = 44 years, SD = 12.70 years) were included in statistical analyses. Outcomes were convictions of receiving help, satisfaction with healthcare provision, and avoiding healthcare visits; further variables were concerns during healthcare visits, incidences of miscommunication, and a communication score. We calculated t-tests, ANOVAs, correlations, and linear and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Our main findings show that (1) DHH patients were unsatisfied with provided healthcare (M = 3.88; SD = 2.34; range 0-10); (2) DHH patients reported many concerns primarily about communication and treatment aspects when visiting a doctor; and (3) 57% of participants deliberately avoided doctor visits even though they experienced symptoms. Factors such as concerns during doctor's visits (B = -0.18; 95%CI: -0.34--0.02; p = .027) or miscommunication with medical staff (B = -0.19; 95%CI: -0.33-0.06; p = .006) were associated with satisfaction with medical care, while we found almost no associations with gender and location, and only few with age and education. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings suggest that DHH patients are unsatisfied with provided healthcare, they deliberately avoid doctor visits, and they face various communication barriers. This study revealed several communication-related determinants of satisfaction with healthcare in DHH patients, such as incidences of miscommunication and the communication score. Communication-related barriers have high potential to be addressed in collaboration with the DHH community. To improve the medical care and the satisfaction with healthcare in DHH patients, training healthcare professionals, digital technologies, and other communication-enhancing interventions should be explored in future intervention studies.

Severe maternal morbidity and other perinatal complications among women with physical, sensory, or intellectual and developmental disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about severe maternal morbidity (SMM) among women with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: We assessed differences in SMM and other perinatal complications by presence and type of disability. We hypothesised that SMM and other complications would be more common in births to women with disabilities than to women without disabilities. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of California births from 2000 to 2012, using birth and death certificate data linked with hospital discharge data. We included singleton deliveries with gestational age of 23-42 weeks. We classified women as having any disability or not and identified disability type (physical, hearing, vision, intellectual/developmental disabilities [IDD]). Our primary outcome was a composite indicator of SMM. Secondary outcomes included additional perinatal complications: gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, venous thromboembolism, chorioamnionitis, puerperal endometritis and mental health disorders complicating pregnancy, childbirth or the puerperium. We used modified Poisson regression to obtain covariate-adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of disability status and type with SMM and secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Of 5,787,090 deliveries, 33,044 (0.6%) were to women with disabilities. Of these, 311 per 10,000 were complicated by SMM, compared with 84 per 10,000 deliveries to women without disabilities. In multivariable analyses, risk of SMM for births to women with disabilities was nearly three times that for women without disabilities (RR 2.84, 95% CI 2.67, 3.02). Proportion and risk of SMM were greatest for vision disability (793 per 10,000; RR 4.04, 95% CI 3.41, 4.78). Secondary outcomes were also more common among women with disabilities. In particular, more than a third of births to women with IDD (37.4%) were complicated by mental health disorders (versus 2.2% for women without disabilities). CONCLUSION: As hypothesised, SMM and other perinatal complications were more common among women with disabilities than among women without disabilities.

Impact of an educational intervention on deaf and hard hearing females' knowledge and health beliefs regarding cervical cancer in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia: A theory-based study.

Deaf people experience barriers to communication that prevent access to health care and information that puts them at increased risk for lack of knowledge about prevention and early detection approaches to cancers. With decreased screening, they may be at a higher risk of discovering cervical cancer (CC) at a late stage. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on deaf and hard hearing females' knowledge and health belief regarding cervical cancer in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. A quasi-experimental study was performed from the beginning of April till the end of October 2021 using a convenience sample of 33 deaf and hard hearing married females students from Al-Amal center for deaf and hard hearing females and Tabuk University. The data were collected using an interview schedule composed of three parts translated to American Sign Language: background variables (basic data), cervical cancer knowledge quiz, and health belief model scale for CC and Pap smear test. About 75.8% of the participants were older than 20 years. The intervention-based HBM showed significant improvement in the overall knowledge score after the intervention compared to pre-intervention (FET = 16.345 P = 0.000). Moreover, significant enhancements (P <0.05) in all HBM construct scores after the HBM intervention compared to the pre-intervention. HBM-based educational interventions can be useful educational modalities for deaf and hard hearing populations. This intervention effectively enhanced the deaf and hard hearing females' overall knowledge and health beliefs scores.

Challenges facing users of hearing aids during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the difficulties and obstacles of hearing-technology users during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE: Individuals with permanent hearing loss (n = 278) answered a questionnaire designed to identify potential obstacles caused by using hearing aids during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the reasons and deleterious effects associated with the devices. Each category reflected challenges in communicating, learning, and working during the pandemic. Different response categories were compared using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The duration of daily device usage before the imposed lockdown was significantly higher than that during (Z = -2.01, p < 0.05), potentially attributable to the pandemic-induced difficulties faced by hearing-technology users. Such challenges include the shortage of batteries for hearing devices, limited access to repair or programming services of said devices and accessories, termination of speech therapy sessions, and obstacles to employment and education. CONCLUSIONS: Among audiologists, efficiency and professionalism are required to educate the public and private health sectors regarding the prevalent challenges and their harmful impact on hearing-technology users during the COVID-19 pandemic. To overcome these issues, awareness of telepractice and its importance in providing audiological services to hard of hearing individuals should be raised.

Enabling profound hearing impaired children to articulate words using lip-reading through software application.

OBJECTIVE: To mitigate the communication barriers of profound hearing-impaired children by enabling their word articulation ability. METHODS: This pre-experimental pilot study was conducted from September 2016 to March 2017 at the National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children, Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised deaf children of both genders aged 5-8 years. A specially designed software application for lip-reading was employed to help the subjects articulate words. Each participant received 125 lip-reading sessions using the application. Evaluation was performed in five steps after every 25 individual sessions by a sign-language teacher, a speech therapist and family members of the individual concerned. SPSS 23 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 20 children, 10(50%) each were boys and girls. All participants reported an increased performance in articulating words with every passing session. The median score on the performance of children increased from first assessment to the last (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The articulation of words by the profound hearing-impaired children after experimentation was usually comprehensible for an inexperienced or a lay listener.

[APHAB scores for individual assessment of the benefit of hearing aid fitting]. / APHAB-Scores zur individuellen Beurteilung des Nutzens von Hörgeräteversorgungen.

OBJECTIVE: The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) questionnaire measures subjective hearing impairment on four different subscales pertaining to different listening situations. Using a very large patient cohort, this study aims to show how answers are distributed within the four subscales before and after hearing aid fitting, and what benefit the patients experience. The results are discussed on the basis of the available literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between April 2013 and March 2016, 35,000 APHAB questionnaires from nine German statutory health insurance providers were evaluated. The average values before and after hearing aid fitting, as well as the benefit, were determined for all four APHAB subscales and analyzed graphically. RESULTS: The results of the subjective evaluation of hearing impairment before and after hearing aid fitting and the resultant benefit were plotted by percentile distribution graphs and boxplots. The data were analyzed statistically. There was no overlap of the interquartile ranges before and after hearing aid fitting in any of the APHAB subscales. In three scales (EC, BN and RV), the median improvement after hearing aid fitting was nearly 30 percentage points. In the AV subscale, this value was slightly negative. DISCUSSION: The percentile distribution graphs used in this study allow individual evaluation of subjective hearing impairment before and after hearing aid fitting, as well as of the resultant benefit, on the background of a huge database. Additionally, it is demonstrated why presentation as boxplots and the average benefit values calculated from these is problematic.

Communication issues between pharmacists and d/Deaf people: a qualitative study in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: People who are d/Deaf face challenges when communicating with pharmacists, especially during medication counseling. AIM: This study aimed to explore and understand the perceptions and experiences of d/Deaf people regarding medication counseling by hospital pharmacists. METHOD: Five sets of semi-structured in-depth interviews (44 total) and one focus group were conducted among d/Deaf people, hospital pharmacists, and Thai sign language (TSL) interpreters. Data from d/Deaf people's perspectives were triangulated with data from pharmacists and TSL interpreters. RESULTS: Five themes emerged from the interview: (1) d/Deaf people believe that deafness is stigmatized, (2) d/Deaf people's needs during medication counseling, (3) skills for d/Deaf people to communicate with pharmacists, (4) values identified in d/Deaf people, 5) emotions related to medication counseling with pharmacists. Effort, trust, confidentiality, and privacy were values associated with counseling. d/Deaf people preferred communicating with pharmacists in TSL to communicating with pharmacists via TSL interpreters because of trust and confidentiality. They also preferred pharmacists with d/Deaf knowledge and skills. Moreover, d/Deaf people believed that deafness was stigmatized, so signing in nonprivate areas was embarrassing. When TSL was not used in communication, language, lipreading, and technology skills became important. With these non-TSL communications, d/Deaf people may not have understood the conversation. However, they may not have asked pharmacists because they felt Krengjai (the hesitancy to bother). CONCLUSION: Thai d/Deaf people have negative experiences during medication counseling. Skills and emotions can act as barriers to communication with pharmacists. TSL should be used to improve d/Deaf people's experiences during medication counseling.

Communication between healthcare professionals and patients with hearing loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze published evidence on modes of communication between healthcare professionals and patients with hearing loss. METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, and Thai Journals Online Complete databases were searched. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. Data on the prevalence and types of communication between healthcare professionals and patients with any extent of hearing loss were extracted. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included. Using a hearing aid (pooled prevalence, 57.4%; 95% CI, 11.4%-103.4%, N = 3, I2 = 99.33) and gestures (pooled prevalence = 54.8%, 95%CI: 17.4% to 92.1%, N = 7, I2 = 99.68) were the most commonly reported modes of communication. Few healthcare professionals could use sign language, and limited access to qualified interpreters was common. CONCLUSION: Communication barriers exist. Qualified sign language interpreters and assistive technology should be used to improve communication.

Visual learning strategies for oral health promotion and treatment interventions in children and adolescents with hearing impairment - A systematic review.

AIM: People with hearing impairment (HI) prefer visual learning strategies in daily activities owing to their reliance on vision. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of visual learning as a communication strategy in improving oral hygiene and dental care of children and adolescents with HI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four electronic databases were searched and complemented by hand searching for original intervention studies published till December 2021. Eligible studies were screened, data was extracted as per priori data collection form and analyzed by thematic content analysis. The quality of studies was assessed as per the validated tools appropriate for study designs including ROB2, ROBINS-I, and NIH quality assessment tool. Out of 4159 records identified and 1302 duplicates removed, 24 original studies were identified and the visual learning strategies were classified into sign language, visual aids with or without sign language, customized educational demonstrations and the interim role of training the teachers. These strategies helped in improving oral hygiene status, oral health-related knowledge and attitude as well as dental anxiety during treatment. Participants were found to be satisfied with these strategies, however, significant heterogeneity in the included studies precluded meaningful meta-analysis. ROB2 and ROBINS were rated as high and serious in all included trials, respectively, and NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Pre-Post Studies With No Control as fair in five studies and poor in three. CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize the significance of visual learning, however, long-term rigorously designed trials are needed to better understand effective and patient-centered communication methods for people with HI.

Hearing aid affordability in the United States.

PURPOSE: Substantial out-of-pocket costs for hearing aids constitute a barrier to hearing health care accessibility for older adults among whom prevalence of hearing loss is high. This study is the first to estimate the proportion of Americans with functional hearing loss for which out-of-pocket expenditures for hearing aids would be unaffordable at current average costs and determine how affordability varies by sociodemographic factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We utilized data from the 2016 American Community Survey to determine the proportion of adults with functional hearing loss for whom hearing aids would constitute ≥3% of annual income or have post-purchase income below a poverty standard. Chi-square tests were used to identify differences in affordability outcomes by sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Results indicated that an average bundled cost of $2500 would constitute a catastrophic expense for 77% of Americans with functional hearing loss (N = 7,872,292) and would add an additional 4% of the population into poverty for the year (N = 423,548). Affordability outcomes varied significantly by age, race, sex, educational attainment and geographic location. CONCLUSIONS: Hearing aids were unaffordable for three-fourths of Americans with functional hearing loss, and their purchase would result in impoverishment for hundreds of thousands of individuals. Reductions in out-of-pocket hearing aid costs to $500 or $1000 would alleviate affordability issues for many Americans with hearing loss. Future federal and state policy should address poor rates of insurance coverage for hearing care, specifically among Medicare and Medicaid, to reduce out-of-pocket costs for hearing care particularly for older adults.Implications for rehabilitationAn average out-of-pocket hearing care cost of $2500 was unaffordable for over three quarters of Americans with functional hearing loss.Hearing care affordability varied significantly by demographic characteristics such as age, sex, gender, educational attainment and geographic region.Affordability constitutes a significant barrier to hearing care accessibility in the United States, where most costs of hearing aids and rehabilitation are statutorily excluded from insurance coverage, including the largest insurer of Americans, Medicare.

The Impact of Senior Mobility Funding on Hearing Aid Acquisition and Compliance to Hearing Aid Use in a Singapore Hospital.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In 2013, the Singapore government reviewed and expanded the Senior Mobility Fund (SMF) to provide subsidy for assistive devices, including hearing aids (HA). While SMF has improved accessibility to HA, its impact on HA acquisition has not been determined. The study aims to elucidate the influence of SMF on HA acquisition and the relationship between financial funding and compliance to HA use. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of 643 patients seen between January 2017 to January 2018 at the earnose and throat specialist outpatient clinic, who were referred for a hearing aid evaluation. Of the 643 patients, 109 patients with baseline hearing handicap (HH) scores recorded, and no formal diagnosis of cognitive impairment were included. The patients were grouped according to SMF eligibility and clinical data were obtained. RESULTS: The odds ratio for acquiring HA was significantly higher with SMF, regardless of HH scores. When looking at actual degree of hearing loss (DHL), HA uptake was significantly higher in the least severe of DHL categories. There is no relationship between SMF and compliance to HA use. However, HH score is positively correlated with data log in regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: SMF appears to influence HA acquisition. Especially in financially funded patients with low self-perceived HH, the benefits of HA may be underappreciated given the few hours of HA use. Further studies are warranted to investigate the impact of financial funding on outcomes of HA users to help policy planners and clinicians be prudent in the utilization of SMF.

Redesigning a Web-Based Stakeholder Consensus Meeting About Core Outcomes for Clinical Trials: Formative Feedback Study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical trials that assess the benefits and harms of an intervention do so by measuring and reporting outcomes. Inconsistent selection and diversity in the choice of outcomes make it challenging to directly compare interventions. To achieve an agreed core set of outcomes, a consensus methodology is recommended, comprising a web-based Delphi survey and a face-to-face consensus meeting. However, UK government regulations to control the pandemic prohibited plans for a face-to-face consensus meeting as part of the Core Rehabilitation Outcome Set for Single-Sided Deafness (CROSSSD) study. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the modifications made by the CROSSSD study team to achieve consensus using web-based methods, but with minimal deviation from the original study protocol. METHODS: The study team worked with health care users and professionals to translate the planned face-to-face consensus meeting in a web-based format, preserving the key elements of the nominal group technique. A follow-up survey gathered evaluation feedback on the experiences of the 22 participating members. Feedback covered premeeting preparation, the process of facilitated discussions and voting, ability to contribute, and perceived fairness of the outcome. RESULTS: Overall, 98% (53/54) of feedback responses agreed or strongly agreed with the statements given, indicating that the web-based meeting achieved its original goals of open discussion, debate, and voting to agree with a core outcome set for single-sided deafness. Hearing-impaired participants were fully engaged, but there were some methodological challenges. For the participants, challenges included building rapport, understanding, and delivering the tasks in hand. For the study team, challenges included the need for thorough preparation and management of the unpredictability of tasks on the day. CONCLUSIONS: Sharing our experiences and lessons learned can benefit future core outcome set developers. Overcoming the challenges of delivering a web-based consensus exercise in the face of the pandemic can be applied more generally to maximize inclusiveness, enhance geographical access, and reduce research costs.

Nationwide Analysis of Mortality Rates and Related Surgical Procedures in Hearing Disability Patients in South Korea.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hearing loss (HL) and its repercussions are major problems in today's society. There are limited data on the relationship between degree of HL and otologic disorders. The aim of this study is to estimate mortality rates, rates of sudden idiopathic HL and related otologic surgical procedures in hearing disability patients in South Korea. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Retrospective medical data for 160,205 patients with hearing disability was extracted. Mortality rates, rates of sudden idiopathic HL and related otologic surgical procedures were compared with a normal control group consisting of 865,475 people; approximately 5 times the number of hearing disability patients. RESULTS: According to the Korean National Disability Registry (NDR), 0.458% of the population in South Korea suffered from hearing disability in 2015. Higher rates of mortality and sudden idiopathic HL were reported in hearing disability patients, increasing up to a maximum of 1.594 times and 1,039.695 times, respectively, compared to the normal control group. Mastoidectomy surgery was 2.5 times more frequently performed and pressure equalizing (PE) tube insertion was about 15 times more frequently performed in hearing disability patients. CONCLUSIONS: Hearing disability is related to higher risks of mortality, sudden idiopathic HL and otologic surgical procedures, including mastoidectomy and PE tubing.

Contraceptive knowledge and use among women with intellectual, physical, or sensory disabilities: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Women spend most of their reproductive years avoiding pregnancy. However, we know little about contraceptive knowledge and use among women with disabilities, or about strategies to improve contraceptive knowledge and decision-making in this population. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review published literature on women with disabilities and: 1) contraceptive knowledge; 2) attitudes and preferences regarding contraception; 3) contraceptive use; 4) barriers and facilitators to informed contraceptive use; and 5) effectiveness of interventions to improve informed contraceptive decision-making and use. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, PsychINFO, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and ERIC databases from inception through December 2017. Two reviewers independently reviewed studies for eligibility, abstracted study data, and assessed risk of bias following PRISMA guidance. RESULTS: We reviewed 11,659 citations to identify 62 publications of 54 unique studies (total n of women with disabilities = 21,246). No standard definition of disability existed across studies. The majority of studies focused on women with intellectual disabilities (ID). Women with ID and those who were deaf or hard-of-hearing had lower knowledge of contraceptive methods than women without disabilities. Estimates of contraceptive use varied widely, with some evidence that women with disabilities may use a narrower range of methods. Five of six studies evaluating educational interventions to increase contraceptive knowledge or use reported post-intervention improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Women with disabilities may use a more narrow mix of contraceptive methods and are often less knowledgeable about contraceptives than women without disabilities. Interventions to improve knowledge show some promise. A lack of data exists on contraceptive preferences among women with disabilities.

Aptidão e conduta dos estudantes de odontologia sobre atendimento de pacientes com deficiência visual e auditiva / Aptitude and conduct of dental students on the care of patients with visual and hearing impairments

Avaliar a aptidão e conduta de estudantes de Odontologia sobre atendimento de pacientes com de deficiência visual e auditiva. Trata-se de um estudo observacional, do tipo transversal. A coleta de dados foi realizada a partir de um questionário estruturado e a amostra foi constituída por 88 estudantes do 5º, 7º e 9º período, matriculados em alguma disciplina clínica, do curso de Odontologia de uma instituição privada do estado de Pernambuco. Os dados coletados foram tabulados e analisados através de estatística descritiva e inferencial com um nível de significância de 5%. Menos da metade dos estudantes se sente aptos para atender pacientes com essas necessidades, independente do período avaliado. Uma pequena parcela tem algum tipo de contato social/familiar com deficientes visuais e auditivos, mas o fato de possuírem contato, não alterou significativamente a aptidão deste para realizar a consulta. Da mesma forma, possuir informação prévia sobre o tema não influenciou significativamente na aptidão dos estudantes durante o atendimento odontológico. A maioria dos estudantes não se sentem aptos e seguros ao atendimento de pacientes com deficiências visuais e auditivas e que o fato de possuir familiar e/ou parente com esse tipo de deficiência e ter recebido informação prévia sobre o tema não aumenta a segurança dos estudantes.

To evaluate the aptitude and conduct of dentistry students regarding the care of patients with visual and hearing impairments. This is an observational, cross-sectional study. Data collection was carried out using a structured questionnaire and the sample consisted of 88 students from the 5th, 7th and 9th period, enrolled in some clinical discipline, of the Dentistry course at a private institution in the state of Pernambuco. The collected data were tabulated and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with a significance level of 5%. Less than half of the students feel able to care for patients with these needs, regardless of the period evaluated. A small portion has some kind of social/family contact with the visually and hearing impaired, but the fact that they have contact did not significantly change their ability to carry out the consultation. Likewise, having prior information on the subject did not significantly influence the students' aptitude during dental care. Most students do not feel able and safe to care for patients with visual and hearing impairments and that the fact of having a family member and/or relative with this type of disability and having received prior information on the subject does not increase the safety of the students. students.

Use of masks in the oral communication of hearing device users / Uso de máscara na comunicação oral para usuários de dispositivos auxiliares à audição

ABSTRACT Purpose: to assess the influence of wearing a mask on auditory-visual speech recognition, in a favorable listening situation, in hearing devices users. Methods: a cross-sectional observational study comprising 52 hearing aid users, whose speech recognition was assessed with six video-recorded lists of sentences with and without masks. The mean test results in the various situations were compared using the Friedman test with Bonferroni post hoc, the significance level being set at 5%. Results: speech recognition assessment results differed between the situations with and without masks and between mask types, with a small effect size. The post hoc, with p-values adjusted with the Bonferroni method, showed a difference between transparent masks and others. The transparent one had a higher mean (77.8%) of auditory-visual sentence recognition between the various situations. There were statistically significant differences, as the transparent mask provided a better performance than the others. Conclusion: the auditory-visual recognition of the hearing-impaired people was better with the transparent mask.

RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a influência do uso de máscara no reconhecimento auditivo-visual de fala, em situação de escuta favorável, em usuários de dispositivos eletrônicos auxiliares à audição (DEAA). Métodos: estudo observacional transversal. Participaram 52 usuários de dispositivos auxiliares à audição que realizaram avaliação do reconhecimento de fala com seis listas de frases apresentadas em vídeo com e sem máscaras. Para comparar as médias dos resultados do teste nas diferentes situações, foi aplicado o Teste de Friedman, com pos-hoc de Bonferroni e nível de significância 5%. Resultados: houve diferença dos resultados da avaliação de reconhecimento de fala entre as diferentes situações, com e sem máscara, assim como entre os tipos de máscara, com tamanho de efeito de pequeno. O post-hoc, com valor de p ajustado pelo método de Bonferroni, mostrou diferença entre a máscara transparente e as demais. A máscara transparente apresentou maior média (77,8%) do reconhecimento auditivo-visual nas sentenças utilizadas entre as situações. Foram observadas diferenças estatisticamente significantes com desempenho superior da máscara transparente em relação aos outros tipos de máscaras. Conclusão: conclui-se que o reconhecimento auditivo-visual para os deficientes auditivos foi melhor com a máscara transparente.

Atenção à saúde da mulher surda no ciclo gravídico-puerperal: uma revisão de escopo / Health care for deaf women in the puerperal pregnancy cycle: a scoping review / Atención a la salud de mujeres sordas en el ciclo embarazo-puerperal: una revisión del alcance

ResumoObjetivo: identificar e sumarizar as evidências disponíveis na literatura nacional sobre a atenção à saúde da mulher surda no ciclo gravídico-puerperal. Método: Estudo de revisão de escopo, segundo preceitos teóricos metodológicos do Joanna Briggs Institute. A busca foi realizada via periódicos CAPES, nas bases LILACS, MEDLINE via PubMed®, Biblioteca eletrônica SCIELO, WOS e CINAHL. Resultados: Identificaram-se 1.831 estudos, dos quais 12 compuseram a amostra final. As dificuldades na comunicação e ausência de profissionais capacitados em Libras, além de sofrimento, preconceito e discriminação, fazem parte da vivência da mulher surda no ciclo gravídico-puerperal. Conclusão: a produção do conhecimento no âmbito nacional sobre a assistência à mulher surda no período gravídico-puerperal ainda é incipiente e faz-se necessário fomento de estudos e práticas baseadas em evidências para a produção de iniciativas que dialoguem sobre a autonomia e o fortalecimento do exercício dos direitos sexuais e reprodutivos da mulher surda no Brasil.

AbstractObjective: to identify and summarize the evidence available in the national literature on health care for deaf women in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle. Method: Scope review studies according to theoretical and methodological precepts of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The research was performed via CAPES journals, in the bases LILACS; MEDLINE via PubMed®; SCIELO, WOS, and CINAHL electronic library. Results: A total of 1,831 studies were identified, and 12 made up the final sample. Difficulties in communication, and the lack of trained professionals in Libras, in addition to suffering, prejudice, and discrimination, are part of the experience of deaf women in the pregnancy-puerperal cycle. Conclusion: the production of knowledge at the national level about assistance to deaf women in the pregnancy-puerperal period is still leadoff, and encouraging studies and evidence-based practices to produce initiatives that dialogue about the autonomy and strengthening of the exercise of sexual and reproductive rights of deaf women in Brazil is necessary.

ResumenObjetivo: identificar y resumir las evidencias disponibles en la literatura nacional sobre la atención a la salud de la mujer sorda en el ciclo embarazo-puerperio. Método: Estudio de revisión de alcance según preceptos teóricos y metodológicos del Instituto Joanna Briggs. La investigación se realizó en las revistas CAPES, en las bases LILACS; MEDLINE vía PubMed®; Biblioteca electrónica SciELO, WOS y CINAHL. Resultados: se identificaron 1.831 estudios, de los cuales 12 conformaron la muestra final. Las dificultades en la comunicación, la falta de profesionales capacitados en lengua de señas, además de sufrimiento, prejuicio y discriminación son frecuentes en la vivencia de las mujeres sordas en el ciclo puerperal del embarazo. Conclusión: la producción de conocimiento a nivel nacional sobre la atención a las mujeres sordas en el período embarazo-puerperio es aún incipiente, y es necesario incentivar estudios y prácticas basadas en evidencias para producir iniciativas que dialoguen sobre la autonomía y el fortalecimiento del ejercicio de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos de las mujeres sordas en Brasil.

Outcomes With a Self-Fitting Hearing Aid.

Self-fitting hearing aids (SFHAs)-devices that enable self-directed threshold measurements leading to a prescribed hearing aid (HA) setting, and fine-tuning, without the need for professional support-are now commercially available. This study examined outcomes obtained with one commercial SFHA, the Companion (SoundWorld Solutions), when support was available from a clinical assistant during self-fitting. Participants consisted of 27 experienced and 25 new HA users who completed the self-fitting process, resulting in 38 user-driven and 14 clinician-driven fittings. Following 12 weeks' experience with the SFHAs in the field, outcomes measured included the following: coupler gain and output, HA handling and management skills, speech recognition in noise, and self-reported benefit and satisfaction. In addition, the conventionally fitted HAs of 22 of the experienced participants who had user-driven fittings were evaluated. Irrespective of HA experience, the type of fitting (user- or clinician-driven) had no significant effect on coupler gain, speech recognition scores, or self-reported benefit and satisfaction. Users selected significantly higher low-frequency gain in the SFHAs when compared with the conventionally fitted HAs. The conventionally fitted HAs were rated significantly higher for benefit and satisfaction on some subscales due to negative issues with the physical design and implementation of the SFHAs, rather than who drove the fitting process. Poorer cognitive function was associated with poorer handling and management of the SFHAs. Findings suggest that with the right design and support, SFHAs may be a viable option to improve the accessibility of hearing health care.

Effectiveness of educational video on deaf people's knowledge and skills for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: a randomized controlled trial / Efectividad de video educativo sobre conocimiento y habilidad de personas sordas para reanimación cardiopulmonar: ensayo controlado aleatorizado / Efetividade de vídeo educativo no conhecimento e habilidade de surdos para ressuscitação cardiopulmonar: ensaio randomizado controlado

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the effectiveness of an educational video on deaf people's knowledge and skills about cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Method: A randomized trial, carried out at three schools with 113 deaf people (control group = 57 and intervention group = 56). After the pre-test, the control group was exposed to the lecture, while the intervention group was exposed to the video. The post-test occurred immediately after the intervention and was repeated after 15 days. A validated instrument was used, with 11 questions, presented in video/Libras (to enable understanding by deaf people) and in written/printed form (to record the answers). Results: In the analysis of knowledge, the median of correct answers in the pre-test was similar between the groups (p = 0.635), while the intervention group had a higher accuracy in the immediate post-test (p = 0.035) and after 15 days (p = 0.026). In the skill analysis, the median of correct answers in the pre-test was higher in the control group (p = 0.031). There was no difference in the immediate post-test (p = 0.770), and there was a higher accuracy in the intervention group in the post-test after 15 days (p = 0.014). Conclusion: The video proved to be effective in increasing deaf people's knowledge and skills about cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-5npmgj.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Analizar la efectividad de un video educativo sobre el conocimiento y la habilidad de las personas sordas acerca de la reanimación cardiopulmonar. Método: Ensayo aleatorizado, realizado en tres escuelas con 113 personas sordas (grupo control = 57 y grupo intervención = 56). Después de la prueba previa, el grupo de control fue expuesto a la conferencia, mientras que el grupo de intervención fue expuesto al video. La posprueba se realizó inmediatamente después de la intervención, y se repitió a los 15 días. Se utilizó un instrumento validado, con 11 preguntas presentadas en video/Libras (para que los sordos comprendan) y en forma escrita/impresa (para registrar las respuestas). Resultados: En el análisis de conocimientos, la mediana de aciertos en la preprueba fue similar entre los grupos (p = 0,635), mientras que el grupo intervención tuvo mayor acierto en la posprueba inmediato (p = 0,035) y después 15 días (p = 0,026). En el análisis de habilidades, la mediana de aciertos en la preprueba fue mayor en el grupo control (p = 0,031). No hubo diferencia en la posprueba inmediato (p = 0,770), y el grupo intervención tuvo más éxito en la posprueba a los 15 días (p = 0,014). Conclusión: El video demostró ser efectivo para aumentar el conocimiento y las habilidades de las personas sordas sobre la reanimación cardiopulmonar. Registro Brasileño de Ensayos Clínicos: RBR-5npmgj.

RESUMO Objetivo: Analisar a efetividade de vídeo educativo no conhecimento e habilidade de surdos acerca da ressuscitação cardiopulmonar. Método: Ensaio randomizado, realizado em três escolas com 113 surdos (grupo controle = 57 e grupo intervenção = 56). Após o pré-teste, o grupo controle foi exposto à aula expositiva, enquanto o grupo intervenção foi exposto ao vídeo. O pós-teste ocorreu imediatamente depois da intervenção, e foi repetido após 15 dias. Foi utilizado instrumento validado, com 11 questões apresentadas em vídeo/libras (para viabilizar compreensão dos surdos) e de forma escrita/impressa (para registro das respostas). Resultados: Na análise do conhecimento, a mediana dos acertos do pré-teste foi semelhante entre os grupos (p = 0,635), enquanto houve maior acerto do grupo intervenção no pós-teste imediato (p = 0,035) e após 15 dias (p = 0,026). Na análise da habilidade, a mediana dos acertos do pré-teste foi maior no grupo controle (p = 0,031). Não houve diferença no pós-teste imediato (p = 0,770), e houve maior acerto do grupo intervenção no pós-teste após 15 dias (p = 0,014). Conclusão: O vídeo mostrou-se efetivo no aumento do conhecimento e habilidade de surdos acerca da ressuscitação cardiopulmonar. Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos: RBR-5npmgj.