The use of telecommunications devices among the hearing impaired

Dr Carly Meyer is leading the study, conducted in collaboration with the HEARing Cooperative Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, and her team is currently looking for volunteers with hearing loss or people who have an adult family member or friend with hearing loss. “We are trying to find out how adults with hearing loss currently use telecommunications to support their general health and whether there are avenues to improve that,” Meyer explains.

She says that the study will look at all aspects of e-health and how technologies such as phones, email, internet, apps and videoconferencing are and can be used to help those affected. “The prospect of using modern technology can be daunting to some, but the internet, mobile phones and tablets have the potential to provide individualized healthcare,” Meyer said to UQ News.

The study will involve a survey on experiences people have with telecommunication technologies in healthcare, and participants will be asked to provide ideas and feedback about areas where they see possible improvements.

Research carried out by Meyer and fellow scientists so far has found that there are gaps in current practices that could be addressed using modern technologies, with the ultimate aim of reducing the impact of hearing loss on those affected and the people around them.

Source: University of Queensland, Australia