Are we ready for teleaudiology?: data from Malaysia

Teleaudiology Services in Australia: A National Survey of Hearing Health Care Consumers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of Australia-based hearing health care consumers regarding the (a) provision and utilization of teleaudiology services, (b) experiences with teleaudiology, and (c) barriers and enablers to future teleaudiology use.

METHOD

A national prospective self-report online survey was completed between April and October 2020, amid COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (closed-answer items) and content analysis (open-text responses). A total of 381 participants (Mage = 72.07 years ± 10.08, 142 females) were recruited from different states and territories of Australia.

RESULTS

Despite positive outcomes reported by those who undertook teleaudiology appointments during COVID-19, results indicate low-consumer teleaudiology uptake. It can be inferred that consumers were not aware of teleaudiology as an appointment option, clinicians/clinic staff had not informed and/or supported teleaudiology as an option, and biases existed that prevented teleaudiology being more widely adopted. It is unclear whether consumers who were eligible for government subsidies understood that teleaudiology appointments were reimbursed through government funding. Barriers to future teleaudiology uptake were largely related to concerns regarding confidentiality and privacy.

CONCLUSION

Low consumer uptake of teleaudiology appointments appears to be driven by consumer preference for in-person services, which appears to be driven by lack of knowledge regarding the availability and effectiveness of teleaudiology.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25619808.

Hearing Health Care Stakeholders' Perspectives on Teleaudiology Implementation: Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Pathways Forward

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore how teleaudiology is perceived by Australian-based hearing health care stakeholders (clients, clinicians, students, academics, and industry partners) to inform future teleaudiology implementation.

METHOD

Five cross-sectional online surveys were adopted, and a total of 366 stakeholders responded (173 clients, 110 clinicians, 58 students, 19 academics, and six industry partners).

RESULTS

Results show that 55% of clients and over 90% of clinicians, students, academics, and industry partners knew what teleaudiology was. Experience in teleaudiology appointments was shared by 85% of clinicians and 7% of clients. Moreover, 98% of clients were not offered any teleaudiology appointments. Teleaudiology apps were used by 66% of clinicians and 26% of clients. Both clients and clinicians acknowledged the benefits of teleaudiology including convenience and accessibility and identified drawbacks, such as loss of personal interaction and communication difficulty. About 80% of students and academics reported inclusion of teleaudiology within their universities' curriculum but only to a limited extent. Low teleaudiology uptake rates in placement clinics, as well as insufficient funding and staffing, were suggested as barriers to learning and teaching teleaudiology. Industry partners were generally confident in training clinicians to use teleaudiology products and teaching students on teleaudiology, but only one industry partner had been invited by universities for teaching purposes.

CONCLUSIONS

Low teleaudiology use and reserved attitudes toward widespread teleaudiology implementation were observed among clients. Clinicians, students, academics, and industry partners generally displayed positive attitudes toward teleaudiology use. Increasing awareness of teleaudiology services and collaboration between stakeholders are crucial in promoting teleaudiology uptake.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23519292.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Individuals With Hearing Loss and Audiology Practice in a Developing Country

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the challenges faced by individuals with hearing loss at a time when many nations were attempting to move from the COVID-19 pandemic to endemic.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey was conducted on Malaysian adults with hearing loss to determine the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on hearing aid management, communication difficulties, psychosocial challenges, and access to audiological services.

STUDY SAMPLE

One hundred forty-six individuals aged 18 years old and above with hearing loss were recruited from hearing health care centers to participate in the survey.

RESULTS

Many of the participants (54.2%) reported significant difficulties communicating with people wearing face masks. For hearing aid management, repairing (36.3%) and fine-tuning devices (30.2%) were considered more challenging than obtaining a battery (21.3%). The COVID-19 pandemic had a serious psychosocial impact on a small portion of the individuals surveyed. Remote services were rarely offered by the audiologists, and most participants preferred in-person treatment. However, the majority perceived that creating awareness and training on telehealth was important.

CONCLUSIONS

Effective management for people with hearing loss needs to consider the challenges faced by them, as the world prepares to live with the coronavirus. Clinical protocols should consider providing a service that is helpful for the clients as well as safe and sustainable in future pandemics.

Willingness to consider and to pay for a variety of telehealth services amongst adult hearing clinic clients

OBJECTIVE

To examine willingness to consider and to pay for various one-to-one telehealth appointments and online group training/information sessions amongst hearing service clients interested in future telehealth.

DESIGN

Online survey exploring telehealth usage and attitudes more broadly.

STUDY SAMPLE

One-hundred-and-sixty-eight (39.8%) of the 422 survey respondents who answered the question were interested in future hearing-related telehealth. Data were analysed for the 148 providing demographic information.

RESULTS

At least some respondents were interested in each type of one-to-one appointment (∼30-60% for most types) and group training/information session (∼30-50% for most types). Some inconsistent associations were found between willingness to consider individual appointment types and a metropolitan location, younger age, and female gender. Associations with having a hearing device fitted may have been influenced by the different needs of those without devices. Younger respondents were more likely to consider a wide range of appointment types. Being younger was associated with an interest in 7 of the 9 different group session types. The acceptable price range was AUD$30-$86 (USD$22-$62) (n = 129) for one-to-one appointments and AUD$47-$103 (USD$34-$73) for three group sessions (n = 99).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite additional communication needs, hearing service clients have a strong interest in a range of individual and group telehealth services.

Applied tele-audiology research in clinical practice during the past decade: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this scoping review was two-fold, (1) to provide information about the characteristics, type of service delivery, participant information and outcomes related to tele-audiology in clinical popluations, and (2) to describe documented facilitators and barriers to tele-audiology delivery from the perspectives of practitioners and service recipients. Knowledge of these findings can assist audiologists in considering remote service delivery options for their practices.

DESIGN

A scoping review was conducted in November 2019 to identify English-language peer-reviewed journal articles published from 1 January 2010 to 30 October 2019 related to remote clinical service delivery in audiology.

RESULTS

Thirty-six published research articles were included. Research studies were classified into four broad areas with some articles including more than one area within the scope of their article: Screening (n = 5), Diagnostic (n = 5), Intervention (n = 18), and Perspectives (n = 22).

CONCLUSION

Hearing healthcare service delivery is expanding with the changing technological landscape, providing greater opportunities and flexibility for audiologists and patients. There are clear opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and for collaboration with on-site local facilitators. Local facilitators, with training, can assist in connecting individuals to follow-up care, provide educational support, and needed hands-on assistance for specialised testing.