1,721,081 research outputs found
The inclusion of sign language in health services as a necessary structural reform to tackle health inequalities in Greece
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Health inequalities: the health status of population with hearing loss in Greece and their access to health services
No full textOctober 2016
Conference: Paper presented at the 6th Panhellenic Forum of Public Health and Social Medicine: Health Inequalities and Public HealthAt: University of Athens Medical School, Athens (p.132)
Tackling Hearing Health Inequalities:The Importance of a Life-Course Approach and the Vicious Cycle among Socioeconomic Position and Hearing Loss
Full text linkHealth Literacy; the Key behind the Poor Physical and Mental Health of Population with Hearing Loss
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The Role of the Leadership Skills Development and the Building of Effective Nursing Teamwork in the Improvement of Health Services Quality in the National Health System
No full textThe Greek Health Care System is experiencing notable gaps in organisational leadership, and additionally, the conditions for the building of effective nursing teamwork are not appropriate. The reasons are, on the one hand, the lack of economic, social and moral incentives in the working environment, which leads to confusing roles and responsibilities and also to inefficient utilisation of nursing services and on the other hand, the fact that the organisational standards in healthcare are dogmatically wedded to “class” hegemony of the medical corps. As a result, the working environment is characterised by ineffective communication, which prevents the staff from a collaborative philosophy, and it leads to the de-coordination of actions within the sanitary units. It is necessary to change the organisational and administrative culture in hospitals in Greek Health System, where there should exist training in teamwork and self-management skills. The building of effective nursing teamwork, which is one of the most important sources of motivation in nursing practice, is feasible by applying the “Gibbs Model”, which provides a Framework so that nurses be able to contribute with maximum performance in the provision of health care, while at the same time ensuring conditions for job satisfaction. In parallel, developmental activities for the nursing staff should take place, which could lead to the development of the leadership skills, particularly of the middle-level managers, who will succeed the current administrators in health care units. The application of developmental methods of leadership skills to nurses in health care units, such as the “Nurse Manager Leadership Collaborative (NMLC)” model, can ensure the satisfactory performance and productivity in hospitals, leading finally to the overall improvement of the quality in health services provision
Conceptual Model for Hearing Health Inequalities (HHI Model): A Tool for Prevention, Identification and Management of Age-related Hearing Loss
No full textAbstract:Purpose: The aim was to examine the mechanisms and to explain the associations between socioeconomic inequalities and hearing health in a life-course perspective.Materials and Methods:A database search (PubMED, Scopus, PsychINFO) was conducted using the keywords “hearing AND inequalities”, “hearing AND disparities” and “hearing AND determinants” in Title/Abstract. Age group 45 and above was used as a search filter. After review of titles and abstracts of 160 articles that met these criteria, 77 articles were finally selected for inclusion in the integrative review.Results:The impact of socioeconomic indicators (education, occupation, income) on hearing health across the life course is complicated, because each one affects the other.Besides, the hearing health inequalities accumulate, so as higher a person’s socioeconomic status during the life-course is, it affects his accumulative hearing health. In addition, there are modifiable determinants of age-related hearing loss, in several stages across the life span, thus a substantial proportion could be prevented or delayed.This analysis resulted in a conceptual model for “hearing health inequalities” (HHI Model), opening a new area in hearing loss research. Conclusions: Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in hearing health during the life-course could significantly improve the hearing health of populations. The Hearing Health Inequalities Model (HHI Model) could be used as a tool for prevention, identification and management of hearing health inequalities and for policy formulation aimed at hearing loss risk reduction.This could make hearing loss a quite preventable disease and not an inevitable accompaniment of ageing. Lay Abstract:Hearing loss is a major global health challenge and the most prevalent untreated sensory disorder, as approximately 15% of the adult population has some degree of hearing loss and almost 7% of the world’s population –half a billion people- has disabling hearing loss (hearing threshold of 41 decibels or greater in the better ear). Across the UK, more than 11 million people suffer today from hearing loss, which translates to about one-in-six people in the UK. Hearing loss has a negative impact in people’s life, as it is associated with social isolation, depression, disability and low quality of life. Besides, the negative impact that has in healthy ageing is not negligible, as the one third of people above 65 live with disabling hearing loss. This makes the hearing loss the third most common chronic health condition among the older population, after high blood pressure and arthritis. However, there is strong evidence that a number of factors in its aetiology are modifiable. A notable example is that socioeconomic indicators like low educational attainment, unemployment and low income are positively associated with hearing loss prevalence. However, the mechanisms for these associations are not well defined in the literature. In its initial stages of this PhD project, the NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow Dialechti Tsimpida provided a theoretical framework to explain the relationship between socioeconomic inequalities and hearing health in a life-course perspective. This leaded to the formulation of a conceptual model for prevention, identification and management of “hearing health inequalities”, opening a new area in hearing loss research. The conclusion was that there are a lot modifiable determinants of age-related hearing loss, in several stages across the life span, thus a substantial proportion could be prevented or delayed. Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in hearing health during the life-course could significantly improve the hearing health of populations. This could make hearing loss a quite preventable disease and not an inevitable accompaniment of ageing.<br/
What did you say? I and another 11 million people in England can't hear you: 2nd Annual Doctoral Academy PhD Conference
No full textHearing loss is the most prevalent untreated sensory disorder and a major public health issue. Today, more than 11 million people across the UK suffer from hearing loss, which translates to about one-in-six people in the UK. However, there is strong evidence that a number of factors in its aetiology are modifiable and a substantial proportion of this could be prevented or delayed. My project, funded by the NIHR Manchester BRC, examines the relationship between socioeconomic inequality and the development of hearing impairment and the impact of hearing impairment on the lives of older adults in England in terms of mental well-being, quality of life, social engagement and economic position. This project will explore the causes and consequences of hearing impairment using longitudinal data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). The ELSA is a large representative data set with information on the health, social, wellbeing and economic circumstances of the English population aged 50 and older. In addition, this project will inform health policy strategies to minimise socioeconomic risks for hearing impairment and access to hearing health services and hearing aid use in order to mitigate the adverse effects of hearing impairment in older adults in England
A new era in assessing the burden of hearing loss in later life using patient records and implications for healthy aging
No full textHearing loss is a significant global health concern and a leading cause of disability in later life. While conventionally considered an inevitable consequence of aging, recent evidence highlights modifiable risk factors challenging this notion. Nevertheless, epidemiological estimates, including Global Burden of Disease studies, overlook the actual hearing health needs of populations, relying instead on projected age demographics. This study aimed to provide a fresh perspective, quantifying hearing loss burden and distribution in older adults by analysing anonymised longitudinal medical records of 2.7 million registered patients in the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System (ICS) in England from 2013 to 2022. Using advanced spatial analysis techniques, including Cluster and Outlier Analysis and Geographically Weighted Regression, socio-spatial inequalities in hearing loss prevalence and incidence were investigated. Surprisingly, findings revealed hearing health disparities unrelated to population age, with residents of similar age experiencing worse hearing outcomes in different areas of the ICS. Deprivation emerged as a significant determinant, explaining up to 35% of the variance in hearing loss. These findings underscore the need for a paradigm shift in health policy-making, moving beyond age-based projections to more accurately estimate and address hearing health needs. Hearing health indicators are already available in existing patient records and should be systematically reported, analysed, and interpreted to create equitable long-term care models according to populations’ actual needs. This novel data-driven approach is particularly important in the context of healthy aging initiatives, given that hearing capacity lies at the core of the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) approach
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