Self-reported outcomes of aural rehabilitation for adult hearing aid users in a developing South African context

Abstract

Hearing impairment has far reaching consequences for affected individuals, in terms of quality of life indicators. In a developing South African context the hearing impaired population is faced with limited aural rehabilitation services. This study evaluated self-reported outcomes of aural rehabilitation in a group of adults in the public healthcare sector with a standardized outcomes measurement tool (IOI-HA). Sixty-one respondents participated (44% males; 56% females), with a mean age of 69.7 years. Results revealed that the majority of respondents experienced favourable outcomes in all domains of the inventory comprising of: daily use of hearing aids, benefits provided by hearing aids, residual activity limitation, satisfaction with hearing aids, residual participation restriction, impact of hearing difficulties on others, and changes in quality of life. Statistically significant relationships were obtained between the daily use of hearing aids, the degree of hearing loss, and the type of hearing aids fitted, as well as the benefits received from hearing aids in difficult listening environments (p < 0.05). Despite challenges of developing contexts, the mean scores distribution compared positively to similar reports from developed countries. Outcomes of improved quality of life emphasize the importance of providing affordable hearing aids and services to all hearing impaired individuals in South Africa.

Practices and views of audiologists regarding aural rehabilitation services for adults with acquired hearing loss

“…Communication intervention helps improve communication skills, satisfaction, benefit and reduce dissatisfaction from using personal sensory management devices, leading to less retuned sensory devices from unsatisfied users (Hawkins, 2005 ; Pienaar, Stearn, & Swanepoel, 2010 ; Stecker, Bowman, Yund, Herron & Roup, 2006 ; Sweetow & Palmer, 2005 ). Knudsen, Oberg, Nielsen, Naylor and Kramer ( 2010 ) reported a non-use rate of up to 40% of hearing aids fitted in Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries outside Africa.…”

Acesso e uso de serviços de Fonoaudiologia em Porto Alegre, Brasil: estudo populacional

“…Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that 1.1 billion people worldwide can develop hearing loss 28 . In addition, WHO emphasizes that decisive actions to prevent and optimize rehabilitation services for the hearing-impaired should be prioritized in all settings of attention levels 29 . It is corroborated by the increase of the aging, hearing-impaired population 30 , which is associated with the decline of hearing function 31 .…”

Aural rehabilitation programme for hearing impaired: a psychosocial intervention

“…These findings are in line with the findings of many studies and systematic reviews. 26,32,34,30 Although a hearing aid provision alone produced some reduction in the handicap, a much more significant reduction was achieved after providing personal adjustment counseling. The individuals were enabled to curb their helplessness as well as the feeling of loneliness.…”