Socioeconomic and Geographic Barriers to Hearing Healthcare: The Patient's Perspective

Kirkwood, Millie; Hussain, Amir; Porter-Armstrong, Alison; Goman, Adele

Abstract

Objectives: Despite the widespread prevalence of hearing loss, many individuals encounter substantial barriers to accessing hearing healthcare and using technology. These challenges include financial
limitations, navigating complex healthcare systems, and the stigma associated with hearing loss. By focusing on the patient's perspective, this study seeks to uncover the key obstacles to hearing healthcare
in both the USA and UK, with a particular focus on the influence of socioeconomic status and geographic location.
Design: A total of 273 participant responses were collected anonymously using an online Microsoft Forms survey. Participants aged 18+ with experience seeking hearing care were primarily recruited through social media sites 'Facebook' and 'X', via advertisements posted in hearing loss support groups
and hearing technology experience groups. Demographic characteristics (location, gender, age, and education level) were gathered. A thematic analysis of open-ended questions such as "what are the challenges/limitations to your hearing technology?", "what would you like to see from your hearing healthcare provider?", and "which factors influence your decision to seek hearing services?" was
conducted. Responses were coded and overarching themes identified as per Braun & Clarke's thematic analysis process.
Results: A total of 67% participants resided in the UK, and 33 % participants resided in various states across the USA. Additionally, 75% of participants were women, and the modal age category was 40-49 years. The most common issues were cost of technology and limited services available in rural areas, discouraging participants from seeking hearing technology. Those in more remote areas reported difficulty getting an appointment with a hearing specialist locally, especially if they required a cochlear implant. Moreover, participants reported that there were issues making appointments over the phone, as they would often struggle to hear and respond accordingly. As well as barriers to seeking care, factors such as hearing technology breaking, lack of support after appointments, and limited information from the healthcare provider, were all highlighted as issues once technology had been obtained.
Conclusions: Issues were identified throughout the hearing healthcare pathway - both when the patients seek care and after they have received technology. Participants most commonly reported challenges related to the cost of technology and the limited availability of services in rural areas, followed by communication difficulties with healthcare providers and not knowing where to seek information. Post care challenges were also noted, including the maintenance of devices, insufficient social support, and a
need for more guidance from hearing providers. There is a need for lower cost hearing technologies and an increase in hearing services in rural areas. Additionally, there should be more educational resources
for the public to raise awareness of hearing loss and the rehabilitation options available. By exploring barriers to accessing care, disparities can be identified and addressed, encouraging timely interventions
and promoting the utilization of hearing technology. Ultimately, this research enriches the exploration of socioeconomic and geographic inequities in hearing healthcare, by directly involving patients and
emphasizing the importance of developing inclusive hearing environments.

Citation

Kirkwood, M., Hussain, A., Porter-Armstrong, A., & Goman, A. (2024, February). Socioeconomic and Geographic Barriers to Hearing Healthcare: The Patient's Perspective. Poster presented at American Auditory Society 52nd Annual Scientific and Technology Meeting, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: American Auditory Society 52nd Annual Scientific and Technology Meeting
• Start Date: Feb 13, 2024
• End Date: Feb 15, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jan 16, 2025
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Publisher URL: https://aas.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/2025_Posters.pdf