What influences referral for mental health support in audiology clinics? A qualitative exploratory approach of barriers and facilitators

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to gain an in depth understanding of factors influencing mental health referrals for adults with hearing loss in the audiology setting.

Method

A semi-structured focus group with hearing care practitioners (HCPs) and reception staff (N = 12, M_age = 45 ± 12 years, 10 female) from a large hearing services provider in Western Australia in 2020.

Results

Three themes were identified: (1) beliefs about and the recognition of the need for referral, (2) knowledge, skills, and training for mental health referral, and (3) outcomes and consequences of referring clients for mental health support.

Discussion

This study identified a wide range of factors influencing referral of adults with hearing loss for mental health support. The findings of this research may be used to inform intervention development targeting mental health referral behaviours within the audiology setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental health
• hearing loss
• referral
• audiology
• health professional
• well-being

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Ear Science Institute Australia with participant recruitment and the participants for devoting their time to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The datasets analysed during the current study are not publicly available due to ethical restrictions but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors did not receive funding for this work, with the exception of R Bennett and M Nickbakht who are funded by a Raine/Cockell Fellowship grant through the Raine Medical Research Foundation, The University of Western Australia.