Transforming Access to Hearing Care: Community Perspectives on School-Based Telehealth in Rural Appalachia.
Mary Katherine Oberman, Marissa Schuh Gebert, Olivia Henderson and 8 others
PMID 40920015WHAT IT FOUND
School hearing screening in rural Kentucky was described as inconsistent, under-resourced, and poorly communicated, with outdated equipment and limited staff.
Educators, parents, and providers wanted clearer school-to-clinic coordination and telehealth follow-up.
Key findings
01School hearing screening was described as limited by staff time, quiet space, and outdated equipment.
02Communication of screening results was reported as unclear, with limited direct contact between school staff and physicians.
03Educators saw connecting children with specialists through school-based telehealth as helpful, but raised concerns about staff time, expertise, parental consent, and parent participation in telehealth visits.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study reports stakeholder perspectives, not tested intervention effects. It used 21 interviews, snowball sampling, and a small number of parents, healthcare providers, and school staff, so some community views may be absent. Participants were largely white and drawn from 14 Kentucky counties, so findings may not apply to other rural or urban areas. Qualitative analysis depends on the research team's interpretation, which can introduce bias.
Declared interests
One author, M.L.B., is a consultant for Cochlear and MED EL, stated as unrelated to this research. The other authors declared no conflicts of interest. The text does not report a funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that school-based telehealth hearing screening improves access, follow-up, or hearing outcomes. The study collected stakeholder perspectives to guide adaptation and did not test an intervention.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →