Objective:

To explore the barriers and facilitators experienced by adults with hearing loss in accessing hearing-related information and services.

Approach:

Key Findings:

• Nine themes emerged under seven theoretical domains: knowledge, environmental context and resources, social influence, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences, social/professional role and identity, and behavioural regulation.
• Barriers included: poor awareness of hearing loss, low-quality information, mistrust in the hearing industry, stigma, unrealistic expectations for hearing technologies, and deaf identity.
• Facilitators included: peer support, informed decision-making, and self-efficacy.

Interpretation:

The findings highlight the importance of addressing both individual and systemic factors to improve digital access to hearing healthcare.

Limitations:

• The study's sample size was limited to 13 participants, which may not represent the broader population of adults with hearing loss.
• Participants were primarily recruited from a single organization, potentially introducing selection bias.

Conclusion:

The research provides insights for developing the Hear4Health website to better meet the needs of adults with hearing loss.

Attribution Notice

This content is an AI-generated, fully rewritten summary based on a published scholarly article. It does not reproduce the original text and is not a substitute for the original publication. Readers are encouraged to consult the source for full context, data, and methodology.