Abstract
The global population is aging rapidly. Hearing loss (HL) constitutes the leading cause of years lived with disability for individuals over 70. With 42% of the 430 million people experiencing disabling HL aged 60 or older, and the majority of them residing in less developed regions, accessible intervention strategies are essential. This paper details an initial study from an ongoing project to develop a digital health intervention (DHI) for hearing screening and monitoring, specifically considering the difficulties faced by older users living in Brazil. User needs revealed critical design requirements, including simplified language, the need for adding images for guidance, and avoiding unfamiliar digital features. Moreover, the issues faced by those who need support to use Apps and Smartphones highlighted a need for alternatives beyond digital. These findings confirmed that focusing on diverse older adults as critical groups during design can benefit the development of inclusive DHIs.
Keywords
Digital Health Intervention, Inclusive Design, Older People, User-centred Design, Accessibility
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1524
Citation
Zitkus, E., Morgadona Tosi Rodrigues, L., Dantas, V., Santos, L., Campos, P., Oliveira, A., Sales, R., Vieira, L., Andreoli Balen, S., and Ferrari, D. (2026) Older Adults as a Critical Group in the Design of a Mobile Application for Hearing Screening and Monitoring, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1524
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Older Adults as a Critical Group in the Design of a Mobile Application for Hearing Screening and Monitoring
The global population is aging rapidly. Hearing loss (HL) constitutes the leading cause of years lived with disability for individuals over 70. With 42% of the 430 million people experiencing disabling HL aged 60 or older, and the majority of them residing in less developed regions, accessible intervention strategies are essential. This paper details an initial study from an ongoing project to develop a digital health intervention (DHI) for hearing screening and monitoring, specifically considering the difficulties faced by older users living in Brazil. User needs revealed critical design requirements, including simplified language, the need for adding images for guidance, and avoiding unfamiliar digital features. Moreover, the issues faced by those who need support to use Apps and Smartphones highlighted a need for alternatives beyond digital. These findings confirmed that focusing on diverse older adults as critical groups during design can benefit the development of inclusive DHIs.