• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.678-693
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• 1993

The purposes of this study were to describe the level of vision and hearing impairments, depression and functional capacity, among Korean institutionalized elderly and to examine the relation-ship between sensory impairments, depression, and functional capacity in these people. The final pupose was to test the cognitive function path model using sensory competencies as predictors. A convenience sample of thirty nine male and 90 female subjects with a mean age of 80.5 were the subjects of this study. The subjects were tested for cognitive function, and vision and hearing impairments. Physical function and social function were measured by observation of designated task performance by the subjects. Their level of de-pression was measured using a Geriatric Depression Scale administered through an interview. Individual subjective ratings of hearing and vision were marked by the subjects, on a ladder scale. The results of the study showed that 48.8% of the subjects had a hearing impairment, 63.5% had a vision impairement, and 36.4% had both a vision and hearing impairement. The four sensory groups (no sensory impairement, hearing impairement, vision impairement, hearing and vision impairement) were tested for differences in depression, physical function, social behavior and cognitive function. The only significant difference that was found was in cognitive function, between the no sensory impairement group and the hearing and vision impairement group(F=3.25, P<.05), Subjective ratings of hearing showed a significant correlation with cognitive function(r=.34, p<.001) and with social behavior(r=.31, p<.001). There was no correlation between subjective vision ratings and cognitive function or social behavior. However there was a significant correlation between vision and hearing(r=.49, p<.001). There was also a significant negative correlation between age and vision(r=-.21, p<.01) and between age and hear-ing(r=-.34, p<.001). There was a significant correlation between depression and physical function (r=-.32, p<.001) but there was no correlation between depression and cognitive function or social behavior. Based on the literature review and the result, this study, a path model of sensory competence-> cognitive function- >social behavior was developed and tested : Perceived vision and perceived hearing were the exogenous variahles and cognitive function and social behavior were the endogeneous variables in the model. The path analysis result demonstrated an accept-able fit (GFI=.997, AGFI=.972, X$^2$=.72 (p=.396), RMSR=.019) between the data and the model. There was a significant direct effect($\beta$=.38) of perceived hearing on cognitive function. There was a significant direct effect ($\beta$=.32) of cognitive function on social behavior. The total effect of hearing on social behavior was $\beta$=.32 including the indirect effect ($\beta$=.12) . However perceived vsion had little effect ($\beta$=-.08) on cognitive function. The result of path analysis confirms that hearing levels influence cognitive function, and both hearing and cognitive function levels influence social behavior. However, vision has little effect on cognitive function or on social behavior. For the next study, a combined model of the pre viously developed environment - >depression- > physical and social function model, and the present cognitive function model, should be tested to further refine the functional capacity model. There also a need for longitudinal study of functional capacity and sencory competence in order to better understand how declining sensory competence influences functional capacity and how it effects in-creasing dependency and nursing needs in the elderly.

• Proceedings of the Acoustical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1994.06a
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• pp.1064-1069
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• 1994

In order to realize the function of human interface of telecommunications whose objective is to interchange useful information among persons, we developed a bone conduction telephone with which hearing impaired persons with conductive or noise-induced hearing loss and presbycusis can communicate with each other without any other additional devices such as hearing aids. The bone conduction telephone we developed has chatacteristics as follows : (i) a hearing impaired person and a normal hearing person can communicate by bone and air conduction hearings, respectively, using only this telephone set because, as its receiver, it uses a bone conduction vibrator with which we can realize such function with the voice coil and damper of a small speaker unit, the vibrating plate, etc., (ii) it has tone control function compensating hearing losses of hearing impaired persons according to their hearing loss/frequency chatacteristics. Using the tone control function together with a received volume control, it has the received volume range of 20dB in loudness rating; and (iii) it has the function of three emergency calls and a bell lamp as the visual display of a received call.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.584-594
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of visual and hearing impairment and to investigate the effect of visual and hearing impairment on depression and cognitive function in community-dwelling Korean elderly. Methods: The study population consisted of a representative community sample of 4,028 persons aged 65 and older from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging 2008. Depression and cognitive function were measured by CES-D 10-item scale and K-MMSE. Visual and hearing impairment were measured by 5-Likert scale. Data were analyzed using Rao-Scott ${\chi}^2$-test, simple and multiple logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of visual and hearing impairment were 37.3% and 14.0%, respectively. Of the participants, the prevalence of depression was 58.4% and cognitive impairment was 50.6%. There were significant differences in depression and cognitive function according to visual and hearing impairment. Far vision and hearing impairment were predictors for both depression and cognitive impairment even after covariates had been adjusted. Conclusion: These data suggest that visual and hearing impairment in older adults may increase their probability of experiencing depression and cognitive impairment. Thus sensory impairment should be considered a risk factor for mental health and the cognitive function of elderly.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2023

Objectives: This case study was conducted to assess the changes in the oral health status of older individuals with hearing and visual impairments through home oral health care based on community care. Methods: The participants were two older adults with hearing and visual impairments. Through home visits, an oral health intervention program, including oral hygiene care and training on strengthening of oral function, was conducted once a week for 5 months. Dental hygienists performed special oral health interventions such as dental plaque control through individual tooth brushing and interdental care, training on strengthening of intraoral and extraoral muscle function, and denture care for the individuals with visual-hearing impairments. Results: The overall periodontal health status and oral muscle function improved in older adults with hearing and visual impairments. In the case of the visually impaired individuals, changes in the oral health status were oral mucosal moisture (30.1 and 37.2 points before and after intervention, respectively), salivary secretion (3.5 and 4.0 cm before and after intervention, respectively), and maximum tongue pressure (20.5 and 26.2 kPa before and after intervention, respectively). Changes in the oral health status of the hearing impaired individuals increased from 28.3 points before the intervention to 38.4 points after the intervention, and the maximum tongue pressure increased from 1.85 kPa to 23.5 kPa after the intervention. Conclusions: Oral health intervention activities contributed to improving the periodontal health and oral function of older adults with hearing and visual impairments. To improve their overall and oral health, it is necessary to prepare measures to activate customized oral health intervention programs.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.29-36
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• 1999

This study was carried out to compare the rotation between vestibular function and balance skills in normal and hearing-impaired children. The subjects were 20 normal children (8-10 years) and 20 bearing-impaired children (8-10 years). The SCPNT was used to assess vestibular function, then, one leg stance test was used to compare static balance skill of normal and hearing-impaired children according to existence of visual input and sex. The results were as follows: 1. In SCPNT, normal md hearing-impaired children showed statistical significance in all left-sided and right-sided rotations(p<.01), and the vestibular function responses of hearing-impaired children wore normal $20\%$, abnormal $45\%$, absent $35\%$. 2. To compare balance skills between normal and hearing-impaired according to eye open and eye close, one-leg stance Oat showed statistical significance in eye open(p<.05), but did not show statistical significance in eye close(p>.05). 3. SCPNT, ene-leg stance test did not show statistical significance according to sex(p>.05).

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1995 no.11
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• pp.121-123
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• 1995

This paper presents a new method which compensates loss of loudness for digital hearing aids. Loudness grows more rapidly in frequency domain with substantial shifts of hearing threshold, so that loud sounds reach the uncomfortable sound level (UCL) at about the same physical stimulus level as with normal hearing. The result is a compression of the available dynamic range of hearing. Many techniques have been developed to compensate for hearing losses. In this paper, we propose a digital hearing aid which uses a single digital filter for reducing distortion and the fuzzy function to calculate gain factors. This function describes how much gain is needed for every frequency to restore loudness perception of a normal ear.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2015

In this paper, we introduce our smart phone application for hearing impaired people. Unlike previous hearing aids application, our application has both functions of self hearing tests and sound amplification. We provide user with two types of self hearing test, those are standard hearing test and detail hearing test. Each test has different advantages like short test time and accurate test result, however both tests provide reliable result. Our hearing test allows that user can measure their hearing loss level according to the frequency. Sound amplification function provide proper fitting formula by using NAL-NL1, and it guarantees high speech intelligibility. Our application can also memorize user's fitting data at specific test condition. Therefore those who using our hearing aids application can easily reset their hearing aids / earphone properties periodically. Our application is advanced at the aspect of self fitting function that no other previous application did. So we are expecting these comfortable processes about fitting lead the number of hearing aids user to be increased.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.113-122
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• 1995

This paper describes characteristics of a bone conduction telephone which was developed for conductive hearing impaired persons to call without additional devices and results of its performance test. Not only the hearing impaired but also normal hearing persons can use this telephone because we developed a bone conduction vibrator with which they can perceive speech signal using functions of air conductive hearing as well as bone conductive hearing. It also has tone control function compensating hearing losses for the hearing impaired originating from their hearing characteristics, and using this function together with received volume control it has received volume range of 20dB in loudness rating, which is similar effect as what a telephone set with built-in received amplifier has. From results of articulation and intelligibility tests for 19 hearing impaired persons, we can see that if their bone-conduction hearing loss is 61dB or less, they can understand words or sentences and response well with this telephone.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.20.1-20.20
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• 2018

Genetic hearing loss crosses almost all the categories of hearing loss which includes the following: conductive, sensory, and neural; syndromic and nonsyndromic; congenital, progressive, and adult onset; high-frequency, low-frequency, or mixed frequency; mild or profound; and recessive, dominant, or sex-linked. Genes play a role in almost half of all cases of hearing loss but effective treatment options are very limited. Genetic hearing loss is considered to be extremely genetically heterogeneous. The advancements in genomics have been instrumental to the identification of more than 6,000 causative variants in more than 150 genes causing hearing loss. Identification of genes for hearing impairment provides an increased insight into the normal development and function of cells in the auditory system. These defective genes will ultimately be important therapeutic targets. However, the auditory system is extremely complex which requires tremendous advances in gene therapy including gene vectors, routes of administration, and therapeutic approaches. This review summarizes and discusses recent advances in elucidating the genomics of genetic hearing loss and technologies aimed at developing a gene therapy that may become a treatment option for in the near future.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2000

This study was carried out to compare the relation between vestibular function and balance skills in normal with heating-impaired children. The subjects were 20 normal children (8-10 years) and 20 hearing-impaired children (8-10 years). The SCPNT was used to assess vestibular function, then, functional reach test and backward walking test were usee to compare dynamic balance skills of normal and hearing-impaired children according to existence of visual input. The results were as follows : 1. In SCPNT, normal and hearing-impaired children showed statistical significance in all left-sided and right-sided rotations(p<.01), and the vestibular function responses of healing-impaired children were normal $20\%$, abnormal $45\%$, absent $35\%$. 2, To compare dynamic balance skills between normal and healing-impaired according to eye open and eye close, functional reach test did not show statistical significance in eye open situation(p>.05), but showed statistical significance in eye close situation(p<.05). 3. Backward walking test showed statistical significance in eye open and eye close situation(p<.01).