The Exploratory Study on the Development of Online Based Auditory Training Contents: Based on the Analysis of the Application for Auditory-Training for the Elderly in their 70s and Older

Abstract

Purpose: Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of teleservices such as telemedicine and digital treatment is increasing. Interest in teleservice is also growing in the filed of audiology. The increase in the demand for remote hearing services will likely lead to the need for online-based auditory training programs. This study aims to investigate and analyze the usage behaviors and functions, the satisfaction of the developed online-based auditory training program, and to suggest the implications of development directions for the online-based auditory training program.Methods: Individual in-depth interviews were conducted. Eleven participants, including five 70s~80s elderly hearing aids users, two program developers, three audiologists, and one professor of audiology, were recruited.Results: Three themes emerged from the interviews were; analysis contents in online-based auditory training, maximized ease of voluntary auditory training, and individualized contents required for the auditory training.Conclusion: The study results highlighted that online-based auditory training needs familiar, easy, short, technology strategy for elderly users with hearing loss. First, familiar topics greatly benefit elderly users because they do not want to learn new and diverse issues. Also, there was a need to provide contents that could attract individual interest using advanced technology. Second, short sentences must be quickly visualized to encourage participantation in the auditory training. Third, ease accessibility to the system for auditory training program is needed. Lastly, the elderly users were proud to use new technology for auditory training, so the professionals must encourage them to continue it. In addition, professionals pointed out that qualified professionals provide the auditory training service and need government support, such as voucher service, for the auditory training. These outcomes will contribute to refining the devleoped online-based auditory training program.