Hearing care in low-resourced and humanitarian settings: findings from a pilot study in South Sudan.

Abstract

Objectives: This longitudinal experimental study aimed to profile audiometric hearing loss, explore the feasibility and efficacy of low-cost hearing devices, and examine their social and emotional impact on participants in South Sudan, a low-resource humanitarian setting.

Design: We performed pure tone hearing screenings on adults with self-reported hearing disability, randomly providing eligible participants with one of two inexpensive devices-Asana Pro 800, a non-customizable hearing device fit unilaterally, or the Super Ear SE9000, a hand-held amplifier with headphones given one per individual.

Study sample: Between October 2022 and January 2023, 142 adults underwent hearing screening at the Juba Teaching Hospital ENT clinic, of whom 19 eligible individuals were provided with hearing devices. Eighteen participants completed the full follow-up period.

Results: Significant auditory and functional improvements were observed among device users over the study period, alongside self-reported enhanced quality of life. Qualitative data showed improvement in daily activity performance. The provision of low-cost hearing devices appears plausible and impactful.

Conclusion: Hearing loss poses a significant health issue with complex genetic, environmental, and disease-related causes. Our collaboration initiated accessible, affordable hearing solutions to serve as a framework for hearing healthcare in resource-deprived settings. Further investigation is warranted for scaling this model.