Hearing aid verification : practices and perceptions of South African audiologists

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Hearing aid verification is required to objectively measure hearing aid outputs by ensuring that the amplified speech spectrum closely approximates the prescription goals. OBJECTIVES : This study aimed to determine audiologists’ perceptions and practices regarding hearing aid verification and identify facilitators and barriers to its use. METHOD : A cross-sectional national e-survey included questions related to demographics, perceptions of verification, verification practices and two open-ended questions regarding the facilitators and barriers to conducting hearing aid verification in South Africa. RESULTS : Seventy-eight South African audiologists, with experience ranging from less than a year to 34 years, completed the online survey. Of these, 76.3% conduct hearing aid verification, while 23.7% seldom or never perform this verification. Among the audiologists who conducted verification, 81.0% reported performing it on both adults and children. More than three-quarters (86.6%) indicated that they conduct verification only during the initial fitting, while half (53.8%) do so only when a problem arises. Thematic analysis revealed the following barriers to verification: improper equipment, a lack of equipment, non-standard clinical practices and time constraints. CONCLUSION : There are several challenges faced by South African audiologists in performing verification. It may be feasible to address these barriers by raising awareness about the value of verification, offering training, and advocating for the purchase and utilisation of verification equipment. CONTRIBUTION : This study’s findings provide information on the current practices of hearing aid verification in a socioeconomically diverse setting. Furthermore, it highlights important challenges such as a lack of equipment as well as time constraints.