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Conference Agenda

Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).

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Daily Overview

Session

PAPERS: Assessing Accessibility and Inclusion
Location: 50 George Square, G.04
Zoom Link
Accessibility: https://www.accessable.co.uk/the-university-of-edinburgh/central-area/access-guides/george-square-50
Session Chair: Abdusselam Cifter, Brunel University of London
Session Chair: Weining Ning, Brunel University of London

Presentation 4

Older Adults as a Critical Group in the Design of a Mobile Application for Hearing Screening and Monitoring

Emilene Zitkus³, Leonardo Morgadona Tosi Rodrigues¹, Vinicius Dantas⁴, Leticia Santos¹, Patricia Campos¹, Ana Laura Oliveira¹, Rikarla Sales², Lucas Vieira¹, Sheila Andreoli Balen², Deborah Ferrari¹

1: Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru – FOB/USP, Brazil; 2: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil; 3: Loughborough University, School of Design and Creative Arts, United Kingdom; 4: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Brazil

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.

View Paper: https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.1524