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Session Overview: mHealth technologies have the power to personalise hearing healthcare and increase user interaction, resulting in a more person-centred approach. This can lead to an increased sense of autonomy and empowerment. These themes emerged from several studies that examined hearing aid users’ experience of (i) smartphoneconnected hearing devices, and (ii) an mHealth programme to improve knowledge about hearing aids and communication. The everyday experiences of adults with hearing loss were assessed after they used smartphone-connected hearing devices in the real-world for several weeks. A key advantage was that the smartphone app gave the user control to fine-tune their device to meet their individual needs. By being able to control the sound quality,participants were more likely to participate in conversations, and stigma was reduced as smartphones are a part of everyday life for many. For beliefs of capability, empowerment emerged as a key theme, as participants reported they could control and use their listening devices how and when they wanted. High-quality education is one of five key components that promote successful selfmanagement of long term conditions. An online, freely available multimedia education programme (C2Hear) was repurposed for mobile technologies (m2Hear) to develop a personalised intervention. Participants reported that m2Hear was a concise and comprehensive resource that facilitated knowledge of hearing aids and communication, and improved personalisation and accessibility. Finally, m2Hear improved confidence to self-manage hearing loss, and empowered participants. Mobile-delivered hearing interventions, which users can control themselves, have the power to improve participation, self-efficacy, autonomy and self-management, which empowers the user.

 

Presenter(s): Dr Melanie Ferguson

 

Event: QLD Virtual Chapter Conference 2020