Affordable Hearing Care for Individuals with Cognitive Impairment
Author Information
Author(s): Carrie Nieman, Joshua Betz, Jonathan Suen, Jami Trumbo, Hae-Ra Han, Nicole Marrone, Frank Lin, Esther Oh
Primary Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Hypothesis
Does cognitive impairment modify the effect of the HEARS intervention among community-dwelling older adults?
Conclusion
The HEARS intervention significantly improved communication function among individuals with cognitive impairment compared to a control group.
Supporting Evidence
- The HEARS intervention provided a low-cost amplification device.
- Communication function significantly improved among individuals with cognitive impairment compared to control.
- The improvements were comparable to those without cognitive impairment.
Takeaway
This study shows that a special hearing care program can help older people with memory problems hear better, just like it helps others.
Methodology
This was a pre-specified subgroup analysis based on the HEARS randomized controlled trial, assessing the effect of a hearing care intervention delivered by community health workers.
Limitations
The study may have limitations related to the specific population and the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
100 individuals were cognitively impaired, with 52% being African American and 70% low-income.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI:-16.84,-10.86
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website