title: "You Can Lead a Horse to Water …": Focus Group Perspectives on Initiating and Supporting Hearing Health Change in Older Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to use focus group discussions to (a) evaluate the use of an educational presentation as an impetus for hearing health change and (b) investigate hearing health from the perspective of older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven (4 men, 23 women) community-dwelling older adults attended 4 data collection events. Participants attended a presentation titled Hearing Health in Older Adults, which was delivered by a trained presenter in a peer-teaching-peer format. Following each presentation, a focus group discussion took place. Digital audio recordings, field notes, and memos of the discussions were used to create verbatim transcripts. Data were analyzed using qualitative description and thematic analysis techniques.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five central themes emerged when older adult focus groups discussed the presentation and hearing health change: recognizing and admitting, understanding the options, sharing stories and experiences, barriers and facilitators, and the presentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facilitators to hearing health change identified by participants include widespread education about hearing health; clarification about roles, professional motivation, and cost in hearing care; and opportunities to learn from and share personal stories with peers.
authors: Heather V
authors: HV
authors: Holliday
authors: Lorienne M
authors: LM
authors: Jenstad
authors: Garnet
authors: G
authors: Grosjean
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Purves
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education; D034381:Hearing Loss; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research