The importance of the audiologist during the hearing aid journey

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to understand hearing aid user perspectives on the importance of the audiologist in the hearing aid journey and their perceived ability to fit and adjust to over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. Design: A qualitative analysis design was utilised with secondary data from an existing data set of responses from semi-structured interviews. Study sample: Adults who were unilateral or bilateral hearing aid users from the United States were recruited through the Hearing Tracker and Lexie Hearing databases. Forty-one participants with an average age of 69 years (SD = 11.72) participated in the virtual interviews. Results: The analysis revealed that the majority of participants considered an audiologist as important (n= 30), citing support, customisation, and information counselling as critical elements in their hearing aid journey. A minority viewed audiologists as less important (n= 8), due to negative experiences such as impersonal care or preferring self-reliance. In terms of OTC hearing aids, opinions were divided, with some participants open to self-fitting, appreciating the costeffectiveness (n= 15), while others expressed concerns about their inadequacy (n= 25), especially in cases of severe hearing loss and a lack of confidence in self-fitting. Conclusion: The study underscores the significant role audiologists play in the hearing aid journey and while OTC hearing aids offer a feasible alternative for some users, concerns regarding their effectiveness and the lack of professional guidance were highlighted. Integrating OTC devices with the expertise and support of audiologists, may offer a feasible solution which could lead to improved outcomes.