title: Practices and views of audiologists regarding aural rehabilitation services for adults with acquired hearing loss.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hearing loss in adults is one of the leading disabilities globally. It is managed through aural rehabilitation for which there is a paucity of literature in South Africa. This raises the question of interest, the integrity of holistic service provision amongst audiologists and whether interest and challenges affect current practices.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe audiologists' practices and views on aural rehabilitation services for adults, including interest and challenges experienced.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive online survey was completed by 45 of 1440 invited practicing audiologists who were members of the two national professional associations in South Africa. Each association emailed the questionnaire link to all its members. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21, and included the paired samples t-test and chi-squared tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most provided services were hearing aids (81.4%), communication strategies training (69.8%) and informational counselling (79.8%). A strong interest was reported by most for each service. Challenges included limited client compliance, unaffordability of services, limited undergraduate training, language barriers, unrealistic expectations and individual differences. Statistically significant differences between service provision, interest and challenges indicated that these are influential but not individually significant to service provision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imbalanced service provision, high interest and many more challenges are experienced. These factors contribute but are not solely markedly influential in service provision.
authors: Discipline of Audiology, University of KwaZulu-Natal. makhobamu@ukzn.ac.za.
authors: Musa
authors: M
authors: Makhoba
authors: Neethie
authors: N
authors: Joseph
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D000072018:Audiologists; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires