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Initial consultations in hearing aid clinics in Australia
1Department of Communication Disorders, Lincoln School of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Victoria, Australia.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|May 1, 1994
Summary
Audiologist behavior during initial hearing aid consultations shows distinct patterns, with patients often remaining passive. Further research is needed to link these behaviors to patient satisfaction and hearing aid use.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Understanding audiologist and client interactions is crucial for effective hearing aid rehabilitation.
- Initial consultations set the stage for long-term hearing aid adoption and user satisfaction.
- Variability in clinical practice may impact patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze audiologist and client behaviors during initial hearing aid consultations.
- To identify patterns in audiologist communication and hearing aid prescription strategies.
- To explore the relationship between consultation dynamics and potential rehabilitation outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Audiotape recording and analysis of 50 initial consultations in government hearing aid clinics.
- Observation of consultation duration, communication patterns, hearing assessment time, and client information requests.
- Identification of distinct audiologist behavioral patterns in hearing aid prescription.
Main Results:
- Consultations averaged 34 minutes and followed a four-stage routine with largely passive clients.
- Hearing aid fitting was initiated in 96% of consultations.
- Significant differences were observed in audiologists' total consultation time, talk proportion, hearing assessment focus, and client information requests, indicating at least two general prescription patterns.
Conclusions:
- Audiologist behavior during initial consultations exhibits significant variability.
- Client passivity was a notable observation in the analyzed consultations.
- Further research is warranted to investigate the impact of audiologist behavior on hearing aid rehabilitation success, including client satisfaction and usage.