Special Issue: Select Papers from the Hearing Across the Lifespan (HEAL) 2016 Conference

The American Journal of Audiology has continued its partnership with the Hearing Across the Lifespan (HEAL) conference and has just published a special issue based on the important work reported at the HEAL 2016 meeting. The HEAL meeting, held every two years at Lake Como, Italy, brings together a truly international cast of leaders in audiology and hearing health care. Work presented from every corner of the world provides the audience with a truly global perspective about the state of audiology. Additionally, because the current incarnation of the HEAL meeting is a result of the merging of two international meetings that used to focus on the two ends of the human life span, the work presented at the HEAL meeting covers audiological issues from a complete lifespan perspective. There indeed is knowledge that can be transferred and used across national borders and continental divides. Similarly, there truly is benefit to comparing and contrasting techniques and outcomes typically used with individuals in different stages of their lives. The HEAL meeting is one of those rare meetings where the view is from 30,000 feet above ground.

We are rather pleased to be able to bring select content from this important meeting to the readership of the American Journal of Audiology. The special issue covering the 2016 HEAL was edited by three eminent audiology scientists from three different countries. Larry Humes from the USA, Sophia Kramer from the Netherlands, and Gabriella Tognola from Italy, the three guest editors, co-authored the editorial that provides a connecting thread between the published papers. Yet another special treat is the closing article by Ferdinando Grandori and Deborah Hayes. Dr. Grandori is one of the founding organizers of this meeting and Dr. Hayes has served as an adviser to the organizers. We hope that our readers will enjoy a touch of the world in the American Journal of Audiology.

Explore the Special Issue

Arlinger, S., Nordqvist, P., & Öberg, M. (2017). International outcome inventory for hearing aids: Data from a large Swedish quality register database. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 443–450. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0123

Bisgaard, N., & Ruf, S. (2017). Findings from EuroTrak surveys from 2009 to 2015: Hearing loss prevalence, hearing aid adoption, and benefits of hearing aid use. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 451–461. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0135

Boothroyd, A., & Mackersie, C. (2017). A “Goldilocks” approach to hearing-aid self-fitting: User interactions. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 430–435. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0125

Hornsby, B. W. Y., Gustafson, S. J., Lancaster, H., Cho, S.-J., Camarata, S., & Bess, F. H. (2017). Subjective fatigue in children with hearing loss assessed using self- and parent-proxy report. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 393–407. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-17-0007

Grandori, F. & Hayes, D. (2017). Reflections on Lake Como Conferences (2000-2016). American Journal of Audiology, 26, 467-468. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-17-0062

Kramer, S. E., Tognola, G., & Humes, L. E. (2017) Introduction: Hearing Across the Lifespan (HEAL) 2016. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 349-351. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-17-0048

Krueger, M., Schulte, M., Zokoll, M. A., Wagener, K. C., Meis, M., Brand, T., & Holube, I. (2017). Relation between listening effort and speech intelligibility in noise. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 378–392. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0136

Mackersie, C. L., & Kearney, L. (2017). Autonomic nervous system responses to hearing-related demand and evaluative threat. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 373–377. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0133

Nadon, V., Bockstael, A., Botteldooren, D., & Vox, J. (2017). Field monitoring of otoacoustic emissions during noise exposure: Pilot study in controlled environment. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 352–368. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-17-0003

Paglialonga, A., Pinciroli, F., & Tognola, G. (2017). The ALFA4Hearing Model (At-a-Glance Labeling for Features of Apps for Hearing Health Care) to characterize mobile apps for hearing health care. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 408–425. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0132

Shen, J., & Souza, P. E. (2017). Do older listeners with hearing loss benefit from dynamic pitch for speech recognition in noise? American Journal of Audiology, 26, 462–466. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0137

Swanepoel, D. W. (2017). Enhancing ear and hearing health access for children with technology and connectivity. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 426–429. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0117

Timmer, B. H. B., Hickson, L., & Launer, S. (2017). Ecological momentary assessment: Feasibility, construct validity, and future applications. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 436–442. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0126

Zokoll, M. A., Wagener, K. C., & Kollmeier, B. (2017). Diagnosing and screening in a minority language: A validation study. American Journal of Audiology, 26, 369–372. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJA-16-0138