• 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.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.417-427
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• 2001

Purpose: The aim of this study is to identify the influence of visual and hearing impairment on the activities of daily living of community dwelling elderly. Methods: Data were collected by home visiting interviewers from 452 older people aged 65 years or older living in community. Resident Assessment Instrument MDS-HC(2.0version) was used for data collection. Data analysis for descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and multiple regression was made by SAS 6.2 Results: 34.7% of the subject had hearing impairment and 64.3% had visual impairment Among IADL. one half of them were dependent in ordinary house work and meal preparation. In the case of ADL. 13.9% of subjects were dependent in bathing and 8.9% in personal hygiene. There was significant difference in IADL performance by visual and hearing impairment On the other hand, ADL performance showed the significant difference. only in the case of hearing impairment. As the result of input of visual and hearing impairment in the process of regression. variances were increased from 3% to 11%. Conclusions: Large proportions of older people living in the community have visual and hearing impairment. It could be confirmed that hearing and vision were significant factors influencing on IADL performance of older people. Intervention and support policy for elderly needs to focus on improvement of visual and hearing impairment.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.265-274
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• 2021

The Purpose of this paper was to explore the effect of hearing impairment on HRQOL in Korean elders. We carry out a cross-sectional analysis using nationally representative data from the KNHANES, 2016-2018. The survey was conducted on 4,754 elders who responded to questions about hearing impairment. Quality of life was compared between hearing impaired elders and elders with no hearing impairment using the t-test and chi-square test, and factors related to quality of life were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression using SPSS version 22.0. There was significant difference in quality of life between hearing impaired elders and elders with no hearing impairment. Walking exercise were identified as factors related to quality of life in elders with hearing impairment, while marriage status, walking exercise and limited movement were found to be related to quality of life among elders with no hearing impairment. In order to improve the HRQOL of elders with hearing impairment, multidisciplinary efforts and development of educational programs are required.

• Proceedings of the KOR-BRONCHOESO Conference
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• 1977.06a
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• pp.3.3-3
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• 1977

For a year from Jan. 1976 to Dec. 1976, the authors have performed the clinical observation in accordance with audiometric test and clinical findings of 43 cases (male 25: female 18) who were diagnosed of diabetes mellitus in diabetic clinic of our hospital. The results are as follows; 1) Eight of 43 cases reveal hearing impairment, and almostly abrupt drop or descending in hearing types. 2) The incidence of hearing impairment is higher in middle and older age group. 3) Hearing impairment has not related to duration of the disease but blood sugar level and total serum cholesterol level in some extent. 4) The incidence of hearing impairment is higher in cases accompanied by complications such as retinopathy, hypertension, neuropathy etc. 5) In etiology of hearing impairment, multiple factors seem to be concerned.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.831-840
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• 2010

In this paper, we propose a hearing impairment simulator considering reduced frequency selectivity and asymmetrical auditory filter of the hearing impaired, and we verified the reduced frequency selectivity and asymmetrical auditory filter affected in speech perception through experiments. The reduced frequency selectivity has made embodied by spectral smearing using LPC(linear prediction coding). The shapes of auditory filter are asymmetrical different with each center frequency. Hearing impaired person which has hearing loss was differently changed with that of normal hearing people and it has different value for speech of quality through auditory filter. The experiments confirmed subjective test and objective test. The subjective experiments are composed of 4 kinds of tests: pure tone test, SRT(speech reception threshold) test, and WRS(word recognition score) test without spectral smearing, and WRS test with spectral smearing. The experiment of the hearing impairment simulator was performed from 9 subjects who have normal ears. The amount of spectral smearing was controlled by LPC order. The asymmetrical auditory filter of proposed hearing impairment simulator was simulated and then some tests to estimate the filter's performance objectively were performed. The objective experiment as simulated auditory filter's performance evaluation method used PESQ(perceptual evaluation of speech quality) and LLR(log likelihood ratio) for speech through auditory filter. The processed speech was evaluated objective speech quality and distortion using PESQ and LLR value. When hearing loss processed, PESQ and LLR value have big difference according to asymmetrical auditory filter in hearing impairment simulator.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.365-373
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• 2019

This study was conducted to determine the effects of horticultural therapy on self-esteem of women with hearing impairment. Ten women with hearing impairment registered in the Mokpo Branch of the Korean Association of the Deaf participated in the horticultural therapy programs (HTP) for self-esteem. The self-esteem scale was used to evaluate the effects of the programs and scores were compared to determine the difference before and after the programs. Self-esteem was improved in all 10 subjects, and its mean value increased with statistical significance from 22.5 points before the programs to 29.8 points after the programs. The programs preferred by women with hearing impairment included 'making a centerpiece using scented candles and flowers', 'packing and planting pot spray chrysanthemum', 'making a topiary', 'planting Hedera helix', and 'planting cyclamen'. Therefore, it was suggested that self-esteem of women with hearing impairment were improved by increasing social and family support, emotional stability, positive feedback, and self-expression through horticultural therapy programs.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.129-131
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• 2009

Hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects among infants. Most hearing-impaired children are not diagnosed until one to three years of age, which is too late to treat for normal speech and language development. If a hearing impairment is identified and treated in its early stage, child's speech and language skills could be comparable to his or her normal-hearing peers. In this study, we applied the 'Fsp' method to distinguish between normal and impaired hearing. We have developed a battery-operated portable A - ABR(automated auditory brain stem response) system that automatically detects hearing impairment for neonates or infants in a nursery room, as well as in a sound-proof room. We partially validated the accuracy of the system in five normal-hearing adults.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.94-102
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• 2009

In this paper, we propose a hearing impairment simulator considering reduced frequency selectivity of the hearing impaired, and verify it's performance through experiments. The reduced frequency selectivity was embodied by spectral smearing using linear prediction coding(LPC). The experiments are composed of 4 kinds of tests; pure tone test, speech reception threshold(SRT) test, and word recognition score(WRS) test without spectral smearing and with spectral smearing. The experiments of the hearing impairment simulator were performed with 9 subjects who have normal hearing. The amount of spectral smearing was controlled by LPC order. The percentile score of WRS test without smearing is $89.78{\pm}2.420%$. The scores of WRS with 24th LPC order and with 8th LPC order are $88.00{\pm}3.556%$ and $83.78{\pm}2.123%$ respectively. It is verified that WRS score is lowered by decreasing LPC order. This is a reasonable result considering that spectral smearing is getting heavier according to decreasing LPC order. It is confirmed that spectral smearing using LPC simulates the reduced frequency selectivity of the hearing impaired and affects the clearness of speech reception.

• 재활복지
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.225-257
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to find the application point of hearing augmentation technology development through examining the risk context experience of people with hearing impairment and the use of assistive device used as an alternative technology. Data of 355 people with hearing impairment with official disability grading was analyzed. The results of this study are first, research participants had no experience of recognizing any sound or vibration in situations highest in the order of means of transportation, material, and nature. Especially the ratio of being unable to recognize the sound and vibration of means of transportation was high, which implies the high possibility of people with hearing impairment experiencing risk. Secondly, the risk context that people with hearing impairment will most likely to experience are highest in the order of traffic accident, pedestrian accident, and daily life at home. Thirdly, the recognition of 2G phone/smart phone, vibrating digital alarm clock, light bar, vibrating wrist watch as assistive device for risk context awareness and notification was high and the satisfaction level of 2G phone/smart phone was the highest. Fourthly, the research participants had high recognition of assistive device for communication in the order of hearing aid, smart phone, videophone, cochlear implant and 2G phone and it was found that the satisfaction level and communication improvement level was the highest using the smart phone. Lastly, for the development of hearing augmentation technology the research participants recognized the importance of portable/wear convenience, price, and motion accuracy and for notification delivery means they preferred the method of using sight(text and light). Based on the results of this study policy and practical plans for hearing augmentation technology development for people with hearing impairment in risk context are proposed.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.41-50
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• 2012

This study was performed to understand the depression of children with hearing impairment with relation to their mothers' nurturing attitude and sign language level. The subjects were 131 hearing impaired children aged from 9 to 16 years and their mothers, who had no hearing impairments. The children's depression was assessed by CDI(Kovacs 1983) adapted by Cho and Lee(1990), and the maternal attitude was measured through the instrument developed by Oh and Lee(1982) and revised by Lim(1987). The results were as follows. First, the girls' depression was higher than the boys', and children in a dormitory type of school showed higher depression than those in a general type of school. Second, children's depression did not show differences according to mother-child communication methods but differed according to mothers' sign language level. Children whose mothers had high level of sign language showed the highest depression and those whose mothers had beginning level of sign language showed the lowest depression. And mothers' affective, goal- achieving and rational attitude were negatively related with children's depression. Third, the depression of hearing impairment children was influenced mainly by the maternal affective attitude, and the next order was the type of school the children attend.