„Sounds“: MHH und AOK Niedersachsen starten Forschungsprojekt mit rund einer Million Euro Fördergeld.
MHH and AOK conduct joint research to improve hearing loss care. Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH
In a new research project, the Hannover Medical School (MHH) and the AOK health insurance company in Lower Saxony are now conducting a comprehensive study of the care provided for people with hearing loss. One of the aims of "Sounds" is to ensure that those affected receive more needs-based treatment. The project partners involved are the ENT Clinic (project management Prof. Anke Lesiniski-Schiedat) and the Institute for Epidemiology, Social Medicine and Health System Research (project management Prof. Volker Amelung) at the Hannover Medical School and the AOK Lower Saxony (project management Dr. Jona Stahmeyer).
The innovation fund of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) is providing almost one million euros in funding for the project in Lower Saxony. The scientists of the project team "SOUNDS – Hearing Care in Germany", led by the MHH, will conduct interviews with affected individuals and experts such as ENT specialists and hearing aid acousticians. In order to find out how patients experience their care after being diagnosed with a hearing disorder, randomly selected policyholders of AOK Niedersachsen will be invited to take part in a survey.
"From a medical and scientific point of view, we experience hearing therapy, which can be offered at the highest medical and technical level without surgery, as not having arrived in people's reality or not being 'accepted'. Through the study, we want to know what the reasons for this are and which interfaces could be better designed," explains Prof. Dr. Anke Lesinski-Schiedat, head of the German Hearing Centre at MHH.
Dr Jürgen Peter, CEO of AOK Niedersachsen, adds: "For us, it is particularly important to further improve the quality of life of patients with hearing disorders. With the help of data from AOK Niedersachsen, the Sounds project will record the real-world care of every form of hearing loss. At AOK Niedersachsen alone, almost 200,000 of our policyholders are affected by the diagnosis."
Hearing loss often leads to further problems
Hearing loss has different causes and requires individual treatment. Since there is often a parallel overuse, underuse or misuse, more clarity is needed regarding the care situation – also in view of the fact that hearing loss often leads to further issues such as fatigue, stress and loneliness due to social isolation. The risk of dementia may also increase.
German Hearing Centre Hannover (DHZ)
The ENT clinic at the MHH is internationally renowned for the world's largest cochlear implant programme for treating patients with hearing loss. Around 12,000 CI operations have been carried out since 1984. Other areas of focus include the provision of hearing aids and their further development, the early detection of childhood hearing loss, and the diagnosis and treatment of sensorineural hearing loss, including tinnitus. The treatment of patients is based on close cooperation between the ENT clinic, the DHZ, acousticians, product manufacturers and scientists, including the development of new medical products.
More at www.dhz.clinic.
Text: Daniela Beyer