Identifying the Barriers and Facilitators to Optimal Hearing Aid Self-efficacy

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.