Case Studies of Auditory Processing Assessment and Management for Veterans

Clinical care for patients who report substantial hearing difficulties despite having little or no hearing loss is a topic of great debate within and beyond audiology. Building on our previous retrospective review of veterans evaluated for auditory processing disorders across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the current work presents five such case studies. The goal is to work toward improved patient care by providing a more in-depth view highlighting both strengths and weaknesses of approaches to care for veterans whose hearing difficulties are not explained by hearing loss.

Five case studies were selected for review with the goal of identifying individuals with a wide range of etiologies and experiences receiving care for auditory complaints across the VHA. All information provided is taken directly from chart notes available from VHA and Defense Health Agency sources.

Etiologies included traumatic brain injury, jet fuel exposure, and nonspecific origins. Some patients experienced well-coordinated care across medical departments, while others experienced repeated barriers and high burdens of self-advocacy while trying to navigate the health care system. Furthermore, differences in the approach of audiologists and speech-language pathologists are highlighted, including differing emphasis on diagnostic tests versus self-report measures and use of top-down versus bottom-up rehabilitation tools.

This work highlights several options likely to improve care for veterans with auditory processing deficits, including greater emphasis on addressing patient-specific needs and goals, improved communication and collaboration between audiology and other medical disciplines, and the potential role for auditory device-based rehabilitation options, even among patients with minimal hearing loss.