PERCEIVED EMOTIONAL AND SITUATIONAL HEARING HANDICAP IN THE ELDERLY AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS

Association between participation restriction due to hearing loss and self-perception of health, social support, and quality of life in elderly people: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

To verify the association between participation restriction due to hearing loss and self-perception of health, social support, and quality of life in elderly people.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional, observational, and descriptive study with a quantitative data approach. A database with information collected in a medium-sized Brazilian municipality was used. The study was conducted with 235 elderly people registered in five Family Health Strategy Units. Sociodemographic and health information and the results of the following questionnaires were used: Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly - Screening Version (HHIE-S), Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey, Subjective Health Assessment, and Short-Form 6-Dimension (SF-6D) Health and Quality of Life Index. Groups with and without participation restriction were compared according to sociodemographic, health, social support, and quality of life variables. A multivariate binary logistic regression method was employed to evaluate the associations between the independent variables and participation restriction.

RESULTS

The group with participation restriction is composed of older individuals with lower quality of life and poorer self-perception of health. Poorer self-perception of health was the only predictor of participation restriction related to hearing loss.

CONCLUSION

Participation restriction is associated with poorer self-perception of health. The study highlights the importance of assessing individuals' self-perception regarding biopsychosocial issues, in addition to considering the environmental context to understand the social and emotional impacts caused by hearing loss.

Flood Hazard Mapping and Flood Preparedness Literacy of the Elderly Population Residing in Bangkok, Thailand

This research aimed at assessing flood hazard areas and flood literacy of the elderly population in Bangkok, Thailand and analyzing their flood preparedness through SWOT analysis. Expert interviews and a community survey were conducted. Using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and GIS technique, the results indicated that land-use, drainage density, and annual maximum rainfall were the most heavily weighted factors in flood hazard mapping in Bangkok. About half (50.32%) of Bangkok’s total area was defined as high flood hazard area. A total of 736 questionnaires were distributed in flood-prone areas and in the areas with the highest percentage of elderly population. The results of both SWOT and survey analysis found that many senior citizens have low digital and media literacy and limited experience in using information technology for flood preparedness. Lack of integration of disaster risk reduction and aging population policy, ineffective warning system, and lack of access to disaster preparedness training were the key barriers in reducing vulnerability to flood hazard. The survey revealed that the majority of elderly respondents (75%) have neither used online applications for their flood hazard management both before and during flood disaster nor shared/communicated information via online platforms. Some respondents (13%) used Facebook and Line applications to obtain information before a flood event. Very few of the elderly respondents (<2%) accessed the national/provincial web-based platform to find out flood-related information. Almost all respondents, especially who are living in high-risk flood zones, had never participated in the community training of flood preparedness and management. Therefore, effective strategies in enhancing social engagement of the elderly and their literacy skills in flood risk preparedness and management are urgently needed.

Characteristics of Indoor Flood Fatalities: Evidence from Greece

Despite the important advances in flood forecasting and protection, floods remain one of the most lethal types of natural hazards. Previous works have explored several factors influencing the risks of flooding to human life and health. However, there is limited research and understanding on indoor flood fatalities and the circumstances under which they occur. This study explores victim-, building-, and situation-related characteristics in order to provide a better understanding of the conditions that lead to flood-related indoor deaths, exploiting a fatality database developed for Greece (1960–2020). The correlation analysis showed that indoor victims, compared with outdoor ones, tend to be older individuals, with high percentages of disabilities. A significant statistical association of the building material, roof type, and distance from the river with the building collapse was also found. The profile of the buildings in which flood fatality occurred was further compared with that of neighboring non-fatal buildings that were inhabited during the flood events. The statistical results indicated that the buildings with a fatality occurrence are mostly single-storey structures, made from masonry as the main building material. The findings have practical implications in risk communication and mitigation in terms of identifying the specific populations, circumstances, settings, and mechanisms that lead to dangerous indoor situations during flooding events.