Auditory Rehabilitation Needs in COVID-19 Survivors

项目背景/理由：这项提议的目的是定量审查和 定性了解新冠肺炎对退役军人听觉功能的影响。自.以来 大流行开始，退伍军人医疗保健系统中超过23万名退伍军人接受了测试或 推定对新冠肺炎有利。有猜测称，新冠肺炎可能对 对听觉系统的影响，尽管程度尚不清楚。病毒性耳聋不是 一种新现象以及几个案例研究和案例系列报告了新的发病和 听力损失和耳鸣的进展、突发性耳聋(突发性急性耳聋 服用新冠肺炎会导致耳痛、噪音敏感和中耳炎等症状。此外， 我们对新冠肺炎幸存者的听力康复需求缺乏了解。 这一证据是成功恢复和恢复退伍军人听觉功能所必需的 提高他们的生活质量。 项目目标：有必要了解以下项目的短期和长期后果 新冠肺炎对听觉系统的影响，特别是在已经有罹患癌症风险的退伍军人中 潜在的听觉并发症，并在康复框架内将其概念化。 这项研究建议的具体目的是(1)量化COVID的负担和影响- 19关于退伍军人的听觉功能；和(2)描述退伍军人的听觉体验 新冠肺炎术后并发症的时机、发病时间、临床病程、康复 需求和生活质量。 项目方法：这个为期两年的试点项目将通过混合方法完成 采用序贯定量-定性设计的方法。关于COVID的定量数据- 将通过患者调查和电子医疗回顾收集19个听觉后遗症 记录(n=1566)。定性数据将通过与COVID的半结构化访谈收集- 19例(n=40)。通过关注退伍军人的个人和生活经历， 新冠肺炎，定性的目标将探索新出现的问题和背景的细微差别 使用调查方法无法测量。数据将根据住院历史进行分层，以便 可以检查患有更严重疾病的退伍军人的独特需求。 预期影响：拟议研究的完成将为以下影响提供证据 听觉系统上的新冠肺炎。我们的目标是立即为临床医生提供更好的 了解这一复杂的患者群体、功能限制和感知 康复需求。观察到的听力损失和耳鸣很可能变成慢性的，所以 大流行对听力的影响可能大大超过当前阶段。这样做的结果是 研究将导致退伍军人康复研究与开发，功勋奖申请 使用More探索新冠肺炎对耳朵、听力和耳鸣的纵向影响 在这项初步研究中，稳健和测听测试措施是不可行的。

Project Background/Rationale: The purpose of this proposal is to quantitatively examine and qualitatively understand the impact of COVID-19 on Veterans' auditory function. Since the pandemic began, over 230,000 Veterans in the VA health care system have tested or been presumed positive for COVID-19. It has been hypothesized that COVID-19 may have adverse effects on the auditory system, although the extent is unknown. Viral induced hearing loss is not a new phenomenon and several case studies and case series have reported new onset and progression of hearing loss and tinnitus, sudden hearing loss (sudden occurrence of acute hearing loss), ear pain, noise sensitivity and otitis media with respect to COVID-19. Moreover, we are lacking an understanding of the auditory rehabilitation needs of COVID-19 survivors. This evidence is required to successfully restore and return Veterans' auditory function to improve their quality of life. Project Aims: There is a need to understand the short- and long-term consequences of COVID-19 on the auditory system, especially among Veterans who are already at risk for underlying auditory complications, and to conceptualize these within a rehabilitation framework. The specific aims of this research proposal are to (1) Quantify the burden and impact of COVID- 19 on Veterans' auditory function; and (2) Describe Veterans' experiences with auditory complications following COVID-19 with respect to timing, onset, clinical course, rehabilitation needs, and quality of life. Project Methods: This 2-year pilot project will be accomplished through a mixed-methods approach with a sequential quantitative-qualitative design. Quantitative data regarding COVID- 19 auditory sequelae will be gathered via patient surveys and review of the electronic medical record (n=1,566). Qualitative data will be gathered via semi-structured interviews with COVID- 19 patients (n=40). By focusing on the personal and lived experiences among Veterans with COVID-19, the qualitative aim will explore emerging issues and contextual nuances otherwise unmeasurable using survey methods. Data will be stratified by hospitalization history so that unique needs of Veterans with more severe disease can be examined. Anticipated Impact: Completion of the proposed study will provide evidence for the impacts of COVID-19 on the auditory system. It is our goal to immediately provide clinicians with a better understanding of this complex patient population, functional limitations, and perceived rehabilitation needs. Observed hearing loss and tinnitus may very well become chronic, so the audiological impact of the pandemic may substantially outlast the current phase. Results of this study will lead to a VA Rehabilitation Research & Development, Merit Award application exploring the longitudinal effects of COVID-19 on the ear, hearing, and tinnitus using more robust and audiometric test measures not feasible in this pilot study.