Identifying the barriers and facilitators to optimal hearing aid self-efficacy

Abstract

Objective: Many older adults with hearing impairment are not confident in their ability to use hearing aids (i.e. experience low hearing aid self-efficacy), which has been found to be a barrier to hearing help-seeking and hearing aid use. This study aimed to determine what factors were associated with achieving adequate hearing aid self-efficacy. Design: A retrospective research design was employed wherein hearing aid self-efficacy was the primary outcome. Explanatory variables included personal demographics, visual disability, and experiences related to participants’ hearing ability and hearing aids. Study sample: A total of 307 older adults with hearing impairment participated in the study (147 non hearing aid owners and 160 hearing aid owners). Results: Non-hearing aid owners were more likely to report adequate hearing aid self-efficacy if they reported no visual disability, had experienced hearing loss for longer, reported more positive support from a significant other, and were not anxious about wearing hearing aids. Hearing aid owners were more likely to report adequate hearing aid self-efficacy if they had had a positive hearing aid experience and no visual disability. Conclusions: More research is needed to develop and evaluate intervention approaches that promote optimal levels of hearing aid self-efficacy among older adults with hearing impairment.

Key Words::

• Hearing aids
• self efficacy
• older adults

Acknowledgements

The researchers would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Office of Hearing Services, Australian Hearing, Bronwen Hofmeister Audiology, John Pearcy Audiology, and The Neurosensory Unit with participant recruitment; and thank the participants for devoting their time to this study.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest.

This research was funded by the HEARing Cooperative Research Centre, established under the Cooperative Research Centres Program – an Australian Government Initiative.