Exploring Factors Enabling Hearing Aid Usage: Perspectives of Hearing Aid Users And Audiologists

Aim of the study:

To know the aspects that favour usage of hearing aid among individuals with hearing impairment as per views of the hearing aid user and audiologist

Objective(s) of the study

1)      To explore the aspects that favoured hearing aid usage among individuals with hearing impairment based on hearing aid user’s and audiologist’s perspective.

Study design: Descriptive qualitative research

Need for the study*:*

Despite the prevalence of hearing loss being high, there is reluctance seen in hearing aid adoption, especially in developing countries. Among hearing aid users the aspects that helped them adopt a hearing aid and continue the hearing aid usage is to be delved into especially in an Indian context.

Procedure

The study will be carried out in an interview mode. The preferred interview mode is face to face interaction, in case a pandemic wave arises the interview will be shifted to telephonic or virtual mode with adherence to Covid 19 guidelines.

Participants will be explained the details of the study and informed consent will be obtained for the audio recording of the verbatim before proceeding with a face-to-face interview mode. The researcher will ask the participants to explain the reasons for hearing aid adoption and its usage and the verbatim of the participant is recorded. The questions asked are open-ended questions to get a descriptive statement from the participants. Similarly, the audiologists are also asked questions based on their perspectives on hearing aid adoption and usage among clients.