Examining cultural competence in pediatric hearing loss services: A survey

ABSTRACT

Efforts to improve cultural competence in pediatric hearing loss services should be informed by evidence of how culture can affect services, yet there is a paucity of research in the field of audiology. The aim of this study was to gain insight into practitioners’ experiences with offering early hearing loss services to minority culture families. Specifically, the objective was to examine possible barriers and facilitators to improving cultural competence in early hearing loss services by exploring the perspectives of the providers of care from across Canada. A survey, informed by our previous studies, was disseminated to practitioners providing hearing loss services. Responses to all survey questions were analyzed descriptively. Open-ended questions were analyzed with simple content analysis. Results indicate practitioners reported barriers at each stage of service delivery: during diagnoses, amplification discussions, language assessments, and interventions. Practitioners also described various strategies used to facilitate culturally competent care. Findings stemming from this study can be used to inform practitioners seeking to provide culturally competent care.

KEYWORDS:

• Cultural competence
• early hearing loss intervention
• survey

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Viviane Grandpierre is a research associate at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and conducts research on health disparities among minority culture populations.

Flora Nassrallah is a research associate at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and conducts research in pediatric hearing loss outcomes.

Beth K. Potter is an associate professor at the University of Ottawa and conducts research in maternal and child health, focusing on rare childhood diseases and newborn and prenatal screening.

Elizabeth M. Fitzpatrick is a full professor at the University of Ottawa, and also a senior scientist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. She conducts research in pediatric mild, unilateral and bilateral hearing loss outcomes.

Roanne Thomas is a full professor at the University of Ottawa and holds a Canada Research Chair in Creative Practices and Well-Being. She conducts research in cancer survivorship and arts-based research methodologies.

Jenn Taylor is an undergraduate student in Health Sciences.Lindsey Sikora is the Health Sciences Research Liaison Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Ottawa where she conducts research in rehabilitation sciences, clinical specialties, epidemiology and psychology.

Lindsey Sikora is the Health Sciences Research Liaison Librarian at the Health Sciences Library at the University of Ottawa where she conducts research in rehabilitation sciences, clinical specialties, epidemiology and psychology.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ontario Graduate Studies Scholarship.