Qualitative research methods to investigate communication within a group aural rehabilitation intervention

Abstract

Objective: Aural Rehabilitation (AR) aims to minimise negative effects of hearing loss. However, there has been limited study of the lived experience of clients receiving Aural Rehabilitation services, particularly for disparity populations. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the use of an innovative qualitative approach to investigating communication in an AR setting among Hispanic/Latino older adult dyads.

Design: We developed a qualitative phenomenology approach using observation methods to document and analyse how individuals experience living with acquired hearing loss within group AR. Trained observers collected systematic, detailed notes on observations of participants over the course of a 5-week community-based AR intervention. In partnership with audiologists, Community Health Workers facilitated the intervention, which focussed on decreasing negative communication impacts of hearing loss for families. Audiometric data and subjective hearing disability results, using the HHIE-S Spanish version, are presented as additional context for observation outcomes.

Study sample: Participants were older Hispanic/Latino adults with hearing loss and their frequent communication partners (five dyads).

Results: Four themes related to the experience of communication emerged among dyads in the intervention: (i) emotions related to hearing loss (ii) communication dynamics, (iii) self-management of hearing loss, and (iv) hearing health advocacy.

Conclusions: A mixed methods approach that includes group observation would contribute substantially to comprehensively evaluating group AR interventions.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03255161.

Keywords:

• Aural rehabilitation
• adult hearing loss
• qualitative research
• phenomenology

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Conchita Somoza, Cecilia Navarro, and Alicia Sander, Promotoras de Salud, and Rosie Piper for their partnership in this project. The authors also gratefully acknowledge Aileen Wong, Au.D., Tanyha Zepeda, Anette Real-Arrayga, Clemente Morales, Adriana Sanchez, Daisey Sánchez, and Stephanie Adamovich, Ph.D. for their contributions in data collection and management. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Portions of this research were presented at the annual meeting of the American Auditory Society in Scottsdale, AZ on 2 March 2018.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Research in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R33 DC013681 (PI: N.M.).