title: Exploring the relationship between technology use, hearing help-seeking, and hearing aid outcomes in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to explore technology use and its relationship to help-seeking for hearing impairment (HI) and success with hearing aids among older adults. Previous research had suggested a link between higher levels of technology use and hearing aid success.
  
  
  METHODS
  General technology use was evaluated using a purposefully developed 25-item questionnaire. Twelve items related to everyday technology use (e.g. DVD player) and 13 related to advanced technology use (e.g. Bluetooth).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four groups of older adults with HI participated in the study: (1) non-consulters (n=49), (2) consulters (n=62), (3) unsuccessful hearing aid owners (n=61), and (4) successful hearing aid owners (n=79).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary analyses revealed a main effect in the use of everyday and advanced technology across the four participant groups. However, it was found that age and living arrangements accounted for most of the variance in reported everyday technology use (p=.030; p=.029, respectively) and age and gender accounted for the variance in reported advanced technology use (p<.001; p=.040, respectively). For everyday technology, an increase in age and living alone were associated with decreased technology use and for advanced technology use, age and female gender were associated with decreased technology use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we hypothesized that technology use would be less amongst non-consulters and unsuccessful hearing aid owners, our findings did not support this prediction. Technology use did not vary by group membership once the covariates of age, gender, and living arrangements were accounted for.
authors.affiliation: * HEARing CRC , Melbourne , Australia.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stieglitz Ham
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bunn
authors.forename: Carly
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Asad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hickson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001307:Auditory Perception; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006309:Hearing; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010465:Perception; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires