Practices and views of audiologists regarding aural rehabilitation services for adults with acquired hearing loss.
Musa Makhoba, Neethie Joseph
PMID 27796100WHAT IT FOUND
South African audiologists and speech therapists reported strong interest in aural rehabilitation but mostly provided hearing aids, communication strategies and informational counselling.
Training gaps and client barriers were reported.
Key findings
01Hearing aids were the most provided sensory management service, reported by 81.4% of 43 participants.
02Most participants who did not already provide a service said they were keen or very keen to provide it, despite limited service provision.
03Twenty-two of 37 respondents reported never being trained to provide cochlear implant services.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small and self-selected, so it may not represent all South African audiologists and speech therapists. The questionnaire was only available online, which may have excluded clinicians without internet access. The sample size and unequal participant numbers prevented comparison between public and private audiologists. Responses were self-reported, so stated practice and interest may not match actual service delivery. The study reports views and practices, not patient outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read high interest as evidence that comprehensive aural rehabilitation is available. Many respondents did not provide most services, and the survey did not test whether any service improves patient outcomes.