Validation of DPOAE screening conducted by village health workers in a rural community with real-time click evoked tele-auditory brainstem response

Abstract

The validity of DPOAE screening conducted by trained VHW was acceptable. This study supports the engagement of grass-root workers in community-based hearing health care provision.

The role of community health workers in addressing the global burden of ear disease and hearing loss: a systematic scoping review of the literature

“…The initial search yielded 674 articles, which reduced to 420 after removal of duplicates (see online supplementary table 3). After screening of abstracts, 356 studies were excluded and after full-text review a further 30, leaving 38 studies that met the inclusion criteria 21 22 30–65. Further details are in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flow chart (figure 1).…”

“…The majority of studies have been published in the past decade (since 2008, n=30), with no relevant studies published before 1980. Studies took place in South Asia (n=13),30 36 43–45 48 55–59 61 65 Oceania (n=7),21 38 39 41 42 62 63 North America (n=7),22 35 37 47 49 50 60 South America (n=6)31–34 40 64 or Africa (n=5) 46 51–54…”

“…We identified 23 studies which primarily focused on the role of CHWs in screening for ear disease and hearing loss 21 30 31 36 42 43 45–47 49–51 53–56 58 59 61–64 66. There were no studies on the role of CHWs in disease prevention.…”

“…CHWs have also been evaluated for their own potential for undertaking screening, to identify either hearing loss30 31 36 43 46 48 50 53–56 58 64 or other ear disease 21 38 42 44 45 49 59 61–63…”

“…Additional factors that may enable CHWs is the development of relevant low-cost technologies, including otoscopes, noisemakers, audiometers, hearing aids and training aids. The availability of tools for automated mobile phone-based hearing screening is a promising development 46 58 87 88…”