Exploring hearing aid use in older women through narratives

Abstract

This study explored experiences surrounding hearing aid use and non-use in older women with hearing loss. A narrative approach was used to gain an in-depth understanding of the meaning and contextual issues that impact upon the adaptation process of older adults and their transitions in using hearing devices. Four women over the age of sixty who were identified as being consistent hearing aid users took part in three face-to-face interviews. Wengraf's (2001) biographic-narrative-interview guiding framework was used to gather data in this study. Data were analyzed both holistically and thematically from a phenomenological perspective to identify the meaning and essence of the participants' experiences. The results revealed an overarching theme of meaningful participation in life situations and events that were linked to purposeful use and non-use of hearing aids. Barriers and facilitators related to participation, which in turn affect hearing aid use and acceptance, were uncovered. The results of this study have implications for audiologic research, and practice.

Hearing help-seeking and rehabilitation: Perspectives of adults with hearing impairment

“…Therefore this study extends the previous findings as it highlights how self-assessment is central to adults with hearing impairment when sharing both their experiences but also their expectations. Lockey et al (2010) identified the central role of participation in determining hearing-aid use in four older Canadian women and the present study depicts similar concepts in a sample of 34 men and women of various ages and countries. Finally, the importance of a client-centered approach reported in this study, for example with participants valuing clinicians who have a genuine interest in them, echoes previous qualitative research (Laplante-Lévesque et al, 2010a).…”

Conducting qualitative research in audiology: A tutorial

“…A later step in the analysis can include linking the experiences of a specific phenomenon to the wider social, cultural, and political context. Interpretative phenomenology has been widely used in health research and has also been applied to research in audiology (e.g., Hétu et al, 1988;Lockey et al, 2010). Lockey and colleagues (2010) analysed biographic-narrative-interviews with older women with hearing impairment by using a interpretative phenomenological approach.…”

“…In this iterative interview process several in-depth structured interviews are conducted with the same participant. Participants are typically invited to review and comment on the construction of storylines and thematic analysis that the researcher carries out (e.g., Lockey et al, 2010). …”

“…Qualitative reports have been conducted to provide much-needed knowledge about the effects of interpersonal and psychosocial factors on hearing disability, help-seeking, and rehabilitation (e.g., Hallberg & Carlsson, 1991;Hétu et al, 1988;Laplante-Lévesque et al, 2010;Lockey et al, 2010;Scarinci et al, 2008;Southall et al, 2010). Qualitative research has been widely used in other fields of health.…”

To Hear or Not to Hear

“…Sensory overload is a common concern about hearing aids. Sensory overload is correlated with the length of time the older adult has lived with uncorrected hearing loss (Lockey, Jennings, & Shaw, 2010). People often delay acquiring hearing aids because the loss occurs gradually, and people tend to compensate by ignoring and denying the loss (Lane, 2012).…”