Audiologists' presbycusis and associated tinnitus counselling practices within the KwaZulu-Natal province.
Kerusha Bhojraj, Vuyelwa Z Peter
PMID 36226976WHAT IT FOUND
Most audiologists combine hearing aids with counselling, but few offer group sessions.
Many rely on informational advice rather than adjustment counselling, partly due to training gaps. Tools are used but often lack cultural fit, and patient satisfaction is judged by clinicians rather than patients.
Key findings
0182.9% of audiologists manage presbycusis and tinnitus by combining hearing aid compensation with counselling, while 24.4% provide only informational counselling without adjustment support.
02Individual counselling is the dominant delivery method (87.8%), with group counselling offered by only 2.4% of participants, often due to pandemic restrictions or resource constraints.
03While 92.1% of audiologists found their counselling tools useful, significant gaps exist in cultural sensitivity and training, with public sector audiologists reporting a greater need for improved adjustment counselling skills.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study is limited to one province in South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), so findings may not generalise to other regions or healthcare systems. Patient satisfaction was assessed by audiologists' perceptions, not by patients themselves, which may introduce bias. The sample size (41) is relatively small for statistical inference. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have skewed delivery methods towards individual counselling and away from group formats.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest are declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that the high rate of tool usage (92.1%) equates to effective psychosocial care. The study reveals that many audiologists lack training in adjustment counselling and struggle with cultural sensitivity, meaning technical support may be prioritised over emotional well-being.