223276 Hearing Health in Northwest American Indian Communities

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM

William Martin, PhD , Center for Healthy Communities, Dept. of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Dept. of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
William E. Lambert, PhD , Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
  
Background: Hearing loss is highly prevalent in AI/AN communities. Losses can isolate members from the spoken aspects of culture. This study documented hearing health risk exposures and the results of rehabilitation intervention in NW tribal groups.

Interventions: We performed hearing screening in rural and urban tribal collectives. We identified hearing losses, provided diagnoses, and when needed, provided hearing amplification devices (hearing aids and other devices).

Evaluation measures: We tracked quality of life changes resulting from amplification over a 6-month period. We used questionnaires to identify potential risks from types of noise exposures.

Results: We screened 289 participants, of which, 134 (46.4%) required medical intervention and/or amplification. In the group fitted with hearing aids (n=24), significant life improvement was noted when amplification was used. Rural participants reported significantly higher noise exposures than did those from urban settings. Both settings had a high prevalence of potentially dangerous noise exposures. In conclusion, noise exposure presents a significant hearing health risk that requires aggressive prevention programs to reduce the likelihood of hearing impairment. Amplification, if applied and used properly, benefits AI/AN individuals with hearing loss and retains or restores their important community connections.

Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the prevalence of hearing loss and potential sources of hearing loss among urban and rural American Indians/Alaska natives Identify changes in quality of life after amplification devices were provided to hearing impaired AI/AN study participants

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the co-investigator.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4002.1: Public Health and Indigenous Communities, Culture and Families