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Associate Professor Razan Al Fakir receives PCORI Engagement Award

Razan Al Fakir, associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, has received a $299,560 award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to build capacity for patient-centered research addressing fear of falling among adults with age-related hearing loss and balance disorders in Alabama.

Fear of falling is more than fear of another fall. It can lead to cautious movement, reduced activity, social withdrawal and loss of independence, creating a cycle that may further increase fall risk. Preliminary work suggests that age-related hearing loss may contribute to this cycle, particularly when combined with age-related changes in the vestibular system. Research has found that greater hearing loss was associated with lower perceived control over falling and greater concern about walking among older adults not using hearing aids. However, there is currently no established clinical approach that addresses hearing loss, balance and fear of falling together.

Through the SMART BALANCE Initiative, Al Fakir and her team will bring together older adults, caregivers, clinicians, researchers and community leaders to identify barriers, explore potential approaches and establish research priorities that reflect what matters most to patients. The initiative will engage a 30-member coalition that will ultimately become the SMART BALANCE Research Board, creating a patient-powered foundation for future research on integrated hearing and balance care.

Fear of falling not only affects physical safety, but also leads to reduced activity, social withdrawal, loss of independence and diminished quality of life. SMART BALANCE takes a patient-centered approach focused on both preventing falls and helping older adults regain confidence, mobility, independence and the ability to participate in activities that matter most to them.

Looking ahead, Al Fakir and her team hope the SMART BALANCE Initiative will lay the groundwork for sustained patient-centered research and future interventions that integrate hearing and balance care. By building a strong partnership among patients, caregivers, clinicians, researchers and community organizations, the initiative aims to identify meaningful outcomes and generate research questions that can inform clinical practice and improve the lives of older adults living with hearing and balance disorders. Ultimately, the team hopes this work will contribute to a broader model of integrated, patient-centered care that helps older adults remain active, independent and engaged in the communities and activities that matter most to them.

Al Fakir earned her M.D. in otolaryngology in Syria and worked as an otologist/neurotologist and rehabilitative audiologist in Syria and Qatar, with a focus on the early detection and intervention of ear diseases associated with hearing loss and balance disorders. Seeking to expand her research training and contribute to patient-centered research, Al Fakir earned a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) from Nova Southeastern University and a doctorate from the University of Florida.  

Following her doctorate, Al Fakir was selected as a Crawford Research Fellow in Otolaryngology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, where she served for four years. There, she collaborated across disciplines with otologists, audiologists, laryngologists, speech pathologists, aging and neuroscience researchers, and cardiovascular surgeons. Her interdisciplinary work has helped establish new lines of research focused on evaluating outcomes and values to improve patient care.

Tags: Faculty Research Speech Language and Hearing Sciences