BACKGROUND: The National Institute of Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) Health Informatics Collaborative (HIC) for Hearing Health has been established in the UK to curate routinely collected hearing health data to address research questions. This study defines priority research areas, outlines its aims, governance structure and demonstrates how hearing health data have been integrated into a common data model using pure tone audiometry (PTA) as a case study.
METHODS: After identifying key research aims in hearing health, the governance structure for the NIHR HIC for Hearing Health is described. The Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP) was chosen as our common data model to provide a case study example.
RESULTS: The NIHR HIC Hearing Health theme have developed a data architecture outlying the flow of data from all of the various siloed electronic patient record systems to allow the effective linkage of data from electronic patient record systems to research systems. Using PTAs as an example, OMOPification of hearing health data successfully collated a rich breadth of datapoints across multiple centres.
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified priority research areas where routinely collected hearing health data could be useful. It demonstrates integration and standardisation of such data into a common data model from multiple centres. By describing the process of data sharing across the HIC, we hope to invite more centres to contribute and utilise data to address research questions in hearing health. This national initiative has the power to transform UK hearing research and hearing care using routinely collected clinical data.

Outer and middle ear pathologies are known to disproportionately affect low-income countries but data is limited. We aim to quantify the prevalence rate of patients presenting with middle/outer ear pathologies at ABC Hearing Clinic and Training Centre in Lilongwe, Malawi. Audiological consultations (adult and paediatric) from 2018-2020 were reviewed for outer and middle ear pathologies. Secondary outcomes included patient type (private vs. community) compared to otoscopy findings, tympanometry findings, need for follow up, and follow up compliance. Out of 1576 patients reviewed, the proportion of abnormal cases\' was 98.2%, with 41.4% being unilateral and 57.4% bilateral. Eighty-three percent presented with outer/middle ear pathologies. 68% of those presented with a pathology often associated with some degree of conductive hearing loss (occluding wax, perforation, discharge, Type B/Type C tympanogram). Average age was 29 + 0.527 years; 41.6% private and 58.2% community patients. Cerumen impaction was most common finding (51%). Higher rates of otoscopic abnormalities and type B tympanograms were noted in community vs. private patient (~40% vs. ~30%; ~70% vs. ~30%). Adherence to follow up was higher for community vs. private patients (29% vs. 17%); ~70% reported subjective improvement upon follow up. The majority required multiple interventions on follow up. Secondary follow up was recommended in 64.8%. A significant disease burden of outer and middle ear pathologies was identified. Further research is required to understand the disease burden and promote health policy.

UNASSIGNED: Yakshagana is a type of folk-art theatre portraying mythological and historical stories. It includes artists who play predominantly percussion instruments besides cymbals and harmonium. Professional musicians exposing themselves to deafening sounds are prone to develop noise-induced complications. [1] One such professional in the coastal districts of Karnataka state is a Yakshagana himmela (backstage) artist. There is no reported literature concerning these artists\' hearing health and problems. Hence, the proposed study was aimed at developing, validating and assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP )of Yakshagana Mela artists towards Music-Induced Hearing Loss (MIHL), a possible risk factor of their profession.
UNASSIGNED: This study was carried out on 139 yakshagana mela artists with a mean age of 41.63 years. It was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, an expert committee discussion was conducted to verify, modify and validate the questionnaire. The second phase included the administration of the developed questionnaire on the artists.
UNASSIGNED: The sum scores for each domain of KAP were computed. Scores above 80% were defined as good knowledge, practice, and a positive attitude. The findings of the study revealed that more than half of the participants demonstrated inadequate knowledge (63.3%) and negative attitude (63.7%), but a fair level of practice (65.4%).
UNASSIGNED: From the outcome of the present study, it can be inferred that in spite of being in a profession with a high risk of MIHL, the participants considered hearing health as their least priority. The study illustrates the need for initiating hearing and conservation programs to improve awareness & combat music induced hearing loss in this population.

UNASSIGNED: Hearing loss is common and undertreated, and the impact of blood pressure variability (BPV) on the development of hearing loss remains unclear. We aimed to examine the age-specific association between visit-to-visit BPV and hearing loss.
UNASSIGNED: This nationally representative cohort study included 3,939 adults over 50 years from the Health and Retirement Study in the United States. Variabilities of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were assessed by standard deviation (SD), coefficient of variation, and variability independent of the mean (VIM), using SBP and DBP from 3 visits. Hearing loss was assessed by self-rated questions. Cox proportional risk models were used to evaluate age-specific associations (50-64, 65-79, and ≥80 years) between BPV and hearing loss. The generalized additive Cox models were further used to visualize the combined effect of age and BPV.
UNASSIGNED: During the follow-up up to 7.0 years, 700 participants developed hearing loss. Among people aged under 65 years, we observed a 36% increased risk of hearing loss with per-SD increment in VIM of SBP (hazard ratio [HR] per SD 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-1.63) and a slightly significant association between VIM of DBP (HR per SD 1.21, 95% CI 1.01-1.45) and hearing loss. We did not observe significant associations among groups aged over 65 years (p > .05). The generalized additive Cox models also showed younger participants had stronger associations between BPV and hearing loss.
UNASSIGNED: Higher visit-to-visit variabilities of SBP were associated with an increased risk of hearing loss in middle-aged adults (50-65 years). Intervention in early BPV may help decrease hearing loss in adults aged over 50 years.

BACKGROUND: College students risk hearing loss due to loud sound exposure during leisure activities. Hearing loss prevention is possible by reducing the noise from the source, using hearing protection devices and increasing their knowledge and awareness on the effects of loud sound exposure.
OBJECTIVE: The study aims to assess the knowledge and attitude of college students regarding hearing loss and its prevention.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study design with a survey method was adopted. A total of 94 college students (mean age: 22 years; range: 18 to 26) who were pursuing an undergraduate and postgraduate degree (50 males and 44 females) formed the part of the study. The researcher administered a standardized self-reported Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour questionnaire. The knowledge score in percentage and absolute scores for attitude were estimated.
RESULTS: The mean knowledge score was 35.8 (SD ± 12.18; range: 12.5-75), and the attitude score was + 9.8 (SD ± 7.1; range: - 4 to + 30). Chi square test revealed no significant association between knowledge and attitude to sociodemographic characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS:  The study indicated that though college students lack knowledge, they had a positive attitude regarding hearing health and its protection. These findings implicate the importance of creating awareness and encouraging hearing protection strategies for college students.

UNASSIGNED: This systematic review aims to examine the current literature on help-seeking, hearing device uptake, and hearing health outcomes in individuals with subclinical hearing loss.
UNASSIGNED: Systematic review.
UNASSIGNED: Searches of three databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE (PubMed), and Scopus) yielded nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was determined using the National Institute of Health quality assessment tool. The studies\' level of evidence was determined according to the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.
UNASSIGNED: All included studies involved adult participants. Three studies examined help-seeking. Self-reported difficulty, poor speech-in-noise performance, and emotional responses to the hearing difficulty were identified as factors influencing help-seeking. Six studies examined the use of hearing devices as an intervention, including hearing aids (n = 4), hearables (n = 1), and FM systems (n = 1). Using hearing devices improved self-perceived hearing difficulty, speech-in-noise understanding, and motivation to address hearing difficulties. No studies focused on hearing device uptake. The quality assessment indicated limited methodological rigour across the studies, with varying levels of evidence.
UNASSIGNED: Current evidence supports the use of hearing devices as an intervention for individuals with subclinical hearing loss. However, more research is essential, particularly focusing on help-seeking, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes using well-controlled study designs.

Hearing health prevention has emerged as a significant public health concern worldwide. With nearly two and a half billion people experiencing some degree of hearing loss, and around seven hundred million requiring medical intervention, the impact on global health is substantial. The economic burden is equally substantial, with estimated health costs reaching 980 billion dollars in the United States alone. To shed light on this issue, we conducted a survey-based cross-sectional study involving 1150 individuals. Utilizing multiple linear regression across three models, we aimed to explore the association between demographic variables and knowledge, attitude, and behaviors related to hearing health. In Model I, we observed a correlation between knowledge and several factors, including age, smoking habits, marital status, and education. In Model II, attitudes were found to associate with non-smoking habits, education, and knowledge. Model III revealed a statistically significant correlation between behaviors and age, gender, parenthood, knowledge, and attitudes. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted public health programs aimed at improving behaviors among the general population. Such interventions can be both effective and relatively inexpensive. By addressing these determinants, we can enhance overall hearing health in the community. Our study contributes valuable information about the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to hearing health in the general population. Understanding these factors is crucial in developing evidence-based strategies to promote hearing health and prevent hearing loss effectively. As we continue to work towards better hearing health, the findings from this study can serve as a cornerstone for informed decision-making and successful intervention implementation.

Malawi, as a low-income country in southeastern Africa, severely lacks early identification, diagnosis and intervention measures for hearing loss. Due to its constrained resources, an educational awareness campaign targeted at professionals can be a cost-effective instrument in promoting good health care through awareness, prevention, and early identification of hearing loss. The aim of this study is to assess school teachers\' knowledge of hearing health, audiology services, identification, and management of hearing issues before and after an educational intervention.
METHODS: A Pre-Survey, followed by an educational intervention, and a Post-Survey were completed by teacher participants. A similar World Health Organization-derived survey was also administered to compare to our locally adapted survey. Trends related to efficacy, performance, and survey improvement were evaluated.
RESULTS: A total of 387 teachers participated. The average score on the Post-Survey was significantly improved compared to the Pre-Survey (71% to 97% correct responses) with the educational intervention. The only predictive variable related to performance was the location of the school within the capital of Lilongwe compared to rural sites outside of the capital. Our locally adapted survey compared favorably to the WHO survey.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there is a statistically significant improvement in the implementation of an educational program to increase the knowledge and awareness of hearing health care among teachers. Some topics were more poorly understood than others, suggesting the need for targeted awareness interventions. Location within the capital city had some effect on performance but a high rate of correct responses was achievable across the participants independent of age, teaching experience, or gender. Our data support the idea that hearing health awareness interventions can be an effective and low-cost option to equip teachers to effectively serve as an advocate for improved identification, early diagnosis and appropriate referral of students with hearing loss.

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(1) Hearing health training and promotion is a priority for early childhood development (ECD) practitioners, but training opportunities are limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). mHealth (mobile health) has the potential to deliver scalable ear and hearing training to ECD practitioners. (2) This study investigated the effect of an mHealth training intervention program for ECD practitioners to improve knowledge and perceptions of hearing health in young children. An experimental one-group, pre-post-test study included ECD practitioners working with children between birth and 6 years old across 31 neighbouring communities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Hearing health training was provided using WhatsApp messages that encompassed infographics and voice notes. Knowledge and perceptions regarding hearing and hearing-related problems in children were surveyed pre-training, directly post training, and 6 months post training. (3) ECD practitioners (N = 1012) between 17 and 71 years of age received the mHealth training program and completed both the pre-and post-training surveys. Overall, knowledge scores indicated a significant improvement from pre- to post training (Z = -22.49; p < 0.001). Six-month post-training knowledge scores were sustained. Content analysis of ECD practitioners\' application of the training information 6 months post training indicated improved awareness, practical application, better assistance for hearing problems, and widespread advocacy. (4) The mHealth training program supports improved knowledge and perceptions of ECD practitioners regarding hearing health for young children. With improved knowledge scores maintained 6 months post training, mHealth hearing health training is an effective intervention. An mHealth training program for ECD practitioners provides a scalable, low-cost intervention for primary and secondary prevention in childhood hearing loss, especially in LMICs.