By Kellsie Busho and Danielle Kelsay

When COVID-19 swept across the world, life as we knew it came to a halt. Large gatherings were canceled, schools were closed, and businesses were shuttered. With the abrupt change in daily living, new opportunities arose, as online usage increased. Facebook saw daily website usage jump by 27 percent from January 15, 2020, to March 24, 2020, in the United States (Koeze and Popper, 2020). Other platforms, such as Zoom, went from under two million daily users to over six million in the same period (Koeze and Popper, 2020).

With the switch from in-person interactions to online, the ability to interact with individuals and continue outreach events was not only plausible but also offered unique opportunities. Audiology graduate students participating in the University of Iowa Sound Awareness for Everyone (UISAFE) program jumped at the chance to spread healthy hearing messages in a new way.

Established in 2010, UISAFE is a clinical and outreach program through the University of Iowa Doctor of Audiology Program. The goal of UISAFE is to promote hearing health and prevent noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) by increasing awareness of NIHL and the hearing hazards that are part of everyday life.

Read the full online feature.

Share this

Related Posts

The Utilization of Telehealth Services (Drazen Zigic/shutterstock.com)

The Utilization of Telehealth Services

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Academy of Audiology (2020) provided audiologists with guidance regarding the use of telehealth services. In October 2021, the Academy released a position statement titled The Use of Telehealth for the Delivery of Audiological Services. Members can access this statement here. While the COVID-19 pandemic may have expanded telehealth services,…

Read More
Postural Sway Observations in Children with ADHD

Postural Sway Observations in Children with ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects approximately five percent of the pediatric population. Up to 50 percent of children with ADHD also exhibit motor control and balance issues in addition to the more commonly seen symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. Fidgeting, poor motor planning, increased postural sway, and difficulty sitting still may be related…

Read More
Deaths from Unintentional Falls in Older Adults (Cedric E/shutterstock.com)

Deaths from Unintentional Falls in Older Adults

At the end of September 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data overviewing rates of death resulting from unintentional falls between the years of 1999–2020 by adults 65 years and older (Garnett et al, 2022). The report showed that death rates have increased, with the largest increase seen by those aged…

Read More