Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Communication and Healthcare Access for Adults With Hearing Loss

Abstract

Objective: Adults with hearing loss are at risk of negative impacts of the pandemic. Specific factors, such as hearing loss severity and location of residence, may disproportionately impact patients during the pandemic. The objective of this study was to assess the relative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hearing loss patients, based on hearing device type and location of residence. Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional questionnaire study. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Adults with hearing loss. Main Outcome Measures: Data included sociodemographic data, communication challenges, pandemic preparedness, access to healthcare, and mental and emotional health. Results: A total of 614 patients responded (27.8% response rate). Compared with hearing aid users, cochlear implant users reported more difficulty communicating with family/friends (53% versus 41%, p ¼ 0.017), obtaining pandemic information (10% versus 3%, p ¼ 0.002), and understanding live broadcasts (47% versus 17%, p ¼ 0.001) during the pandemic. CI users were less likely than hearing aid users to seek general (52% versus 69%, p ¼ 0.001) and hearing healthcare services (20% versus 34%, p ¼ 0.002). Rural residents reported greater difficulty than urban residents communicating with friends/ family (53% versus 39%, p ¼ 0.001), obtaining food/supplies (41% versus 20%, p ¼ 0.004), understanding live broadcasts (31% versus 20%, p ¼ 0.001) during the pandemic. Compared with urban residents, rural residents reported greater difficulty accessing general (57% versus 42%, p ¼ 0.004) and hearing healthcare (49% versus 34%, p ¼ 0.043). Rural residents reported poorer mental/emotional health than urban residents. Conclusions: Among adults with hearing loss, cochlear implant users and rural residents experience greater challenges in communication, pandemic preparedness, and access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review

“…However, this impaired the speech perception in individuals with moderate-to-severe HL ( 48 ). The pandemic has exacerbated the situation, worsening patients' mental health, particularly in rural areas ( 49 ). As a result, the entire society should pay attention to people with HL by giving practical support in various areas such as socialization, detection, treatment, and rehabilitation.…”

The Longitudinal Association of Subclinical Hearing Loss With Cognition in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study

“…Other strategies include improving visual cues (e.g., lip reading) with bright lighting, minimizing background noise, creating seating arrangements to optimize verbal communication, preferential seating for individuals who struggle to hear, and reducing reverberation (i.e., with sound-absorbing materials). Indeed, the effects of mask-wearing and virtual meetings during the recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how suboptimal auditory environments can disrupt communication and cause unforeseen effects in both individuals with hearing loss and their normal-hearing peers ( Ribeiro et al, 2020 ; Charney et al, 2021 ; Wilson et al, 2021 ). Masks can degrade the speech signal and attenuate sound levels anywhere from 3 to 4 dB for typical masks and up to 12 dB for N-95 masks ( Goldin et al, 2020 ); an individual with “perfect” hearing who listens to speech transmitted from behind a mask would essentially be listening under conditions of SCHL.…”

Reframing Our Health Care System for Patients With Hearing Loss

“…The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted health care communication and accessibility for individuals with hearing loss ( McKee et al, 2020 ; Moreland et al, 2021 ; Wilson et al, 2021 ). Health care systems widely mandated personal protective equipment, including surgical or protective masks, to ensure the safety of workers and patients.…”