Evaluation Of The Lash Program At Towson Universitys Hearing And Balance Center

It is estimated that over 360 million people have hearing loss worldwide, making it one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions (WHO, 2015). Hearing aids are the most common form of treatment for hearing loss. However, less than a fourth of individuals with a diagnosed hearing loss use hearing aids (Kochkin et al., 2010). Low rates of hearing aid use have been associated with lower levels of education, income, and financial support (Bainbridge & Ramachandran, 2014; Nieman et al., 2016). Numerous programs and foundations exist that provide financial assistance for hearing aids for low-income individuals that have hearing loss. Studies on existing low income program have found that these programs were successful at providing hearing aids to low-income individuals but that follow-up appointments were necessary to address patient's concerns and monitor long-term outcomes of hearing aid benefit (Freitas & Costa, 2007; Iwahashi, Jardim, & Bento, 2013). The purpose of this study was to conduct a retrospective chart review of 100 patients that have received hearing aids and services through the LASH program at the TU-HBC. Information regarding patient population characteristics (i.e., age, gender, hearing loss) and program outcomes were recorded from the patient charts. This study revealed that a majority of the patients seen through the LASH program qualified for reduced service fees, which suggests that the program is reaching the target population. A total of 23 participants were lost to follow-up and there was a wide range in the duration between the fitting and first follow-up appointment. About half of the participants required at least one repair. These findings suggest the need for a better follow-up protocol to monitor long-term use. Overall, the amount of revenue the TU-HBC generated from participating in the program was as expected, which indicates that participation in the LASH program is not detrimental to the clinic financially. Future research should focus on gathering more detailed information regarding patient demographics, comparing outcomes of LASH patients to patients with private pay or insurance, and include subject questionnaires to get a better understanding of the patient's personal experience with the hearing aids.

The efficacy of a college hearing screening program was examined by (1) completing an audiological assessment on 80 randomly selected students after they were screened in 2011 and (2) retrospectively examining hearing and speech-language screening results and follow-up return rates for all students screened over a 10-year period. Results indicated the hearing screening protocol had good specificity and sensitivity when considering the screening frequencies (1000, 2000, 4000 Hz) but missed many students with a high frequency "notch." The retrospective file review for the hearing screenings showed a low positive predictive value (PPV) and a high over-referral rate (ORR). The speech-language screenings had a high PPV and a low ORR. Both screenings had poor follow-up return rates. Two main factors that contributed to the low sensitivity were high levels of ambient noise in the test rooms and the inability of the screener to detect high frequency hearing loss. Based on these findings, ambient noise levels surrounding the rooms where screenings take place should be monitored more closely. Also, college hearing screening program directors should carefully consider the purpose of the screening and adjust the protocol if they wish to identify noise induced hearing loss in college students and additionally, should propose ways to increase the follow-up return rate.

From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together

The purpose of this book is to gain a better understanding of the multitude of factors that determine longer life and improved quality of life in the years a person is alive. While the emphasis is primarily on the social and behavioral determinants that have an effect on the health and well-being of individuals, this publication also addresses quality of life factors and determinants more broadly. Each chapter in this book considers an area of investigation and ends with suggestions for future research and implications of current research for policy and practice. The introductory chapter summarizes the state of Americans’ health and well-being in comparison to our international peers and presents background information concerning the limitations of current approaches to improving health and well-being. Following the introduction, there are 21 chapters that examine the effects of various behavioral risk factors on population health, identify trends in life expectancy and quality of life, and suggest avenues for research in the behavioral and social science arenas to address problems affecting the U.S. population and populations in other developed and developing countries around the world. Undergraduate and graduate students pursuing coursework in health statistics, health population demographics, behavioral and social science, and heatlh policy may be interested in this content. Additionally, policymakers, legislators, heatlh educators, and scientific organizations around the world may also have an interest in this resource.

This open access book explores the historical, cultural and philosophical contexts that have made anti-poverty the core of Chinese society since Liberation in 1949, and why poverty alleviation measures evolved from the simplistic aid of the 1950s to Xi Jinping’s precision poverty alleviation and its goal of eliminating absolute poverty by 2020. The book also addresses the implications of China’s experience for other developing nations tackling not only poverty but such issues as pandemics, rampant urbanization and desertification exacerbated by global warming. The first of three parts draws upon interviews of rural and urban Chinese from diverse backgrounds and local and national leaders. These interviews, conducted in even the remotest areas of the country, offer candid insights into the challenges that have forced China to continually evolve its programs to resolve even the most intractable cases of poverty. The second part explores the historic, cultural and philosophical roots of old China’s meritocratic government and how its ancient Chinese ethics have led to modern Chinese socialism’s stance that “poverty amidst plenty is immoral”. Dr. Huang Chengwei, one of China’s foremost anti-poverty experts, explains the challenges faced at each stage as China’s anti-poverty measures evolved over 70 years to emphasize “enablement” over “aid” and to foster bottom-up initiative and entrepreneurialism, culminating in Xi Jinping’s precision poverty alleviation. The book also addresses why national economic development alone cannot reduce poverty; poverty alleviation programs must be people-centered, with measurable and accountable practices that reach even to household level, which China has done with its “First Secretary” program. The third part explores the potential for adopting China’s practices in other nations, including the potential for replicating China’s successes in developing countries through such measures as the Belt and Road Initiative. This book also addresses prevalent misperceptions about China’s growing global presence and why other developing nations must address historic, systemic causes of poverty and inequity before they can undertake sustainable poverty alleviation measures of their own.

Wrightslaw Special Education Legal Developments and Cases 2019 is designed to make it easier for you to stay up-to-date on new cases and developments in special education law.Learn about current and emerging issues in special education law, including:* All decisions in IDEA and Section 504 ADA cases by U.S. Courts of Appeals in 2019* How Courts of Appeals are interpreting the two 2017 decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court* Cases about discrimination in a daycare center, private schools, higher education, discrimination by licensing boards in national testing, damages, higher standards for IEPs and "least restrictive environment"* Tutorial about how to find relevant state and federal cases using your unique search terms

"Explores topics relevant to the experience of Latinx/a/o students and professionals in higher education and illustrates key elements that should be considered in the development of varied pathways for success"--

This student-friendly introduction to the field focuses on understanding social and practical problems and developing intervention strategies to address them. Offering a balance of theory, research, and application, the updated Third Edition includes the latest research, as well as new, detailed examples of qualitative research throughout.

For undergraduate and graduate courses in business. Understanding The Vast And Expanding Field of E-Commerce Laudon's E-Commerce 2016: Business, Technology, Society emphasizes three driving forces behind the expanding field of e-commerce: technology change, business development, and social issues. A conceptual framework uses the templates of many modern-day companies to further demonstrate the differences and complexities in e-commerce today. An in-depth investigation of companies such as Uber, Pinterest, and Apple kick-off the course while preparing students for real-life scenarios. In the Twelfth Edition, Laudon and Traver add new or update existing case studies to match developments in the e-commerce field as they exist in today's tech world. They built in additional video cases for each chapter, making the material even more accessible to students as they prepare for their future roles in business.