Factors Associated With Follow-Up Appointment Attendance in Adults With Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) presents a significant disease burden.
• Effective management of SNHL requires consistent follow-up to address long-term complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify patient- and appointment-related factors associated with SNHL follow-up appointment attendance in adults.
• To understand barriers to care for patients with SNHL.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of adult SNHL patients at a tertiary-care, safety-net hospital.
• Analysis of demographic, medical comorbidity, and appointment factors for follow-up attendance in otolaryngology and audiology clinics.

Main Results:

• Over 5,600 patients, 54.9% attended, 28.7% canceled, and 16.3% were no-shows.
• Multivariate analysis identified age >60, higher education, unemployment, housing insecurity, out-of-network PCP, and distance >5 miles as significant predictors of nonattendance.

Conclusions:

• Patient characteristics (age, education, employment, housing insecurity) and appointment proximity independently influence SNHL follow-up attendance.
• Interventions like telehealth and reminder systems are crucial for improving access and ensuring equitable care for SNHL patients.