Perceptions of adults with hearing impairment regarding the promotion of trust in hearing healthcare service delivery

Abstract

Objective: This paper describes how trust is promoted in adults with hearing impairment within the context of hearing healthcare (HHC) service delivery. Design: Data were analysed from a previously published descriptive qualitative study that explored perspectives of adults with hearing impairment on hearing help-seeking and rehabilitation. Study sample: Interview transcripts from 29 adults from four countries with different levels of hearing impairment and different experience with the HHC system were analysed thematically. Results: Patients enter into the HHC system with service expectations resulting in a preconceived level of trust that can vary from low to high. Relational competence, technical competence, commercialized approach, and clinical environment (relevant to both the clinician and the clinic) influence a patient's resulting level of trust. Conclusions: Trust is evolving rather than static in HHC: Both clinicians and clinics can promote trust. The characteristics of HHC that engender trust are: practicing good communication, supporting shared decision making, displaying technical competence, offering comprehensive hearing rehabilitation, promoting self-management, avoiding a focus on hearing-aid sales, and offering a professional clinic setting.

Key Words::

• Trust
• hearing healthcare
• clinician patient relationship

Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely thank the Oticon Foundation for making this work possible and Sara Labhart for assistance with the data analysis. The authors also thank Louise Hickson, Lesley Jones, Line Vestergaard Knudsen, Sophia Kramer, Thomas Lunner, Graham Naylor, Claus Nielsen, and Marie Öberg for their valuable contributions to the original study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Supplementary material available online

Supplementary Appendix 1.

Notes

1. We use the term hearing healthcare (HHC) clinician rather than audiologist throughout the paper. We do so because participants were often unable to distinguish services provided by audiologists from services provided by other HHC providers.

2. Each meaning unit is followed by information about the participant: gender, age (in years), country, and experience with the HHC system. Excerpts in bold italics were spoken by the interviewer. Comments in parentheses provide contextual information or replace proper nouns. HA = Hearing Aid

3. Whereas the topic of trust was not in the interview guide, interviewers sometimes did ask about trust as a follow-up to statements made by the participant.