title: Targeting functional fitness, hearing and health-related quality of life in older adults with hearing loss: Walk, Talk 'n' Listen, study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Hearing loss (HL) is a disability associated with poorer health-related quality of life including an increased risk for loneliness, isolation, functional fitness declines, falls, hospitalization and premature mortality. The purpose of this pilot trial is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention to reduce loneliness, improve functional fitness, social connectedness, hearing and health-related quality of life in older adults with HL.
  
  
  
  This 10-week, single-blind, pilot randomized control trial (RCT) will include a convenience sample of ambulatory adults aged 65 years or older with self-reported HL. Following baseline assessments, participants will be randomized to either intervention (exercise, health education, socialization and group auditory rehabilitation (GAR)) or control (GAR only) groups. The intervention group will attend a local YMCA twice a week and the control group once a week. Intervention sessions will include 45 min of strengthening, balance and resistance exercises, 30 min of group walking at a self-selected pace and 60 min of interactive health education or GAR. The control group will attend 60-min GAR sessions. GAR sessions will include education about hearing, hearing technologies, enhancing communication skills, and psychosocial support. Pre-post trial data collection and measures will include: functional fitness (gait speed, 30-s Sit to Stand Test), hearing and health-related quality of life, loneliness, depression, social participation and social support. At trial end, feasibility (recruitment, randomization, retention, acceptability) and GAR will be evaluated.
  
  
  
  Despite evidence suggesting that HL is associated with declines in functional fitness, there are no studies aimed at addressing functional fitness declines associated with the disability of HL. This pilot trial will provide knowledge about the physical, mental and social impacts on health related to HL as a disability. This will inform the feasibility of a larger RCT and preliminary evidence about the initial effects of a novel, community-based, holistic intervention addressing both the negative psychosocial and functional physical effects of HL among older adults.
  
  
  
  ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02662192 . Registered on 14 January 2016.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lambert
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Rouzbeh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghadry-Tavi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Knuff
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jutras
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Siever
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mick
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roque
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Health and Exercise Science, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Little
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Southern Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.|Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Social Sciences, Psychology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Audiologist, NexGen Hearing, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Bergen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Development, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kurtz
authors.affiliation: Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Social Sciences, Sociology and School of Social Work, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Southern Medical Program, #321 Reichwald Health Sciences Center, 1088 Discovery Ave, Kelowna, BC, V1V-1V7, Canada. charlotte.jones@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Charlotte Ann
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008132:Loneliness; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012919:Social Behavior; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking
keywords: Auditory rehabilitation; Disability; Functional fitness; Hearing loss; Loneliness; Older adults; Socialization