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Factors Influencing the Use of Hearing Services by Diverse Ethnic Communities in Australia
Mansoureh Nickbakht1, Cailyn Furze2, Mehwish Nisar1
1Centre for Hearing Research, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Objectives:
Approximately one in six Australians lives with hearing loss, yet hearing services and hearing aids remain underused across the population, with fewer than half of those affected using hearing aids. If not addressed, hearing loss impacts all aspects of an individual's life. Hearing loss is more prevalent in diverse ethnic communities, but they are even less likely to engage with hearing services and use hearing aids. This study aims to explore the factors influencing the use of hearing services for people from diverse ethnic communities in Australia.
Design:
Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 people with self-reported hearing difficulties and 23 family members who had a relative (e.g., child, partner) with hearing difficulties (N = 46). Interview data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The participants represented 15 different language backgrounds and were from 5 states across Australia.
Results:
Five themes were identified among factors influencing the use of hearing services reported by the participants, including (1) Cultural beliefs and stigma of hearing loss and hearing aids, (2) Effective communication with health professionals and engagement with interpreters in appointments, (3) Trust in, and perceptions of, healthcare and hearing care services in Australia, (4) Knowledge and awareness of hearing loss, hearing devices, and hearing services, and (5) Available supports (e.g., funding, family, and community support) and help-seeking behaviors.
Conclusions:
Increasing the use of hearing care services would require a multilevel approach addressing stigma of hearing loss and increasing knowledge about prevalence, impact and treatment of hearing loss among diverse ethnic communities and general practitioners, as well as ensuring hearing services are culturally responsive with access facilitated by professional interpreters. Future comparative studies across diverse ethnic communities are suggested to identify specific cultural dynamics within each community that influence hearing service use.
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