Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Jul 10, 2024
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 10, 2024 - Sep 4, 2024
Date Accepted: Feb 26, 2025
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Evaluating the effectiveness of community-delivered hearing rehabilitation and health education intervention on social isolation and functioning among Chinese adults with hearing impairment: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Hearing impairment (HI) is a common sensory deficit with considerable impacts on social well-being (SWB) in adults. Evidence on the effectiveness of auditory rehabilitation and hearing health education on the social domain of hearing-impaired individuals’ health are scarce.
Objective:
This study aims to test the feasibility and efficacy of providing free hearing aids or a combined offline and online hearing health education intervention on social isolation and functioning among Chinese adults with HI.
Methods:
This study is a three-arm, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a follow-up at 24 months after the baseline study. A total of 417 participants aged 18 and above with some degree of HI will be recruited and randomly assigned to two intervention groups and one control group. Free hearing-aid provision as well as a hearing health education program which is combined with online and offline lessons will be implemented in two interventions groups, respectively. The control group will not receive any intervention. The primary outcomes include social isolation and functioning in society. The secondary outcomes include social engagement, a sense of mastery, self-efficacy, psychological resilience, chronic diseases, life satisfaction, hearing health literacy and hearing care utilization.
Results:
None.
Conclusions:
The findings of this study will provide evidence for the impact and cost-effectiveness of a community-based auditory or hearing health education intervention on SWB among Chinese adults with HI, which may contribute to promoting hearing health and reducing adverse health consequences in an aging society. Clinical Trial: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200062148. Registered 25 July 2022, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=174741
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Copyright
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