Burden of treatment associated with hearing aid use among older adults with hearing loss: a qualitative study

Background Treatment burden can affect patients’ ability to carry out tasks or follow recommendations from healthcare providers. Evaluating the burden associated with using and maintaining hearing aids can help identify factors affecting patient compliance. This study also examined the support that older adults receive and prefer to overcome this burden. This enables healthcare providers to understand the burden better and promote improved adherence to hearing aid use among older adults. Methods We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with older adults recruited from the Audiology Clinic at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC). Participants were diagnosed with hearing loss and were using hearing aids. Data collection was continued until thematic saturation was reached. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis method. Results This study included 17 participants aged 62–80 years. Four main themes were identified from the interviews: experiencing hearing loss, barriers to hearing aid use, facilitators to hearing aid use, and support needs. The subtheme highlighted the burden associated with hearing loss and hearing aid use; physical, psychological and financial burdens were cited in addition to the perceived limitation of hearing aid use. On the other hand, the perceived benefit of hearing aids in terms of audibility and promoting social engagement was identified as a facilitator to effective use of hearing aids as they act as motivators. Consistent use of hearing aids was found to help in acclimatization. Support from professionals for hearing aid use is preferred over family to promote autonomy. Findings highlight the need for individualized support, improved device features, and accessible hearing healthcare to enhance hearing aid adoption and user satisfaction in older adults. Conclusion Our research has identified several factors that affect adherence to hearing aid use in older adults. The identified barriers included physical, psychological and financial burden. Difficulty of hearing aid use and care was cited as a burden that can limit the hearing aid use. The study highlighted the need for improved support and counseling in hearing healthcare. Furthermore, the study showed the need for improved hearing aid technology and for providing accessible and direct communication channels with their healthcare providers. The hearing aid users in our study preferred support from their healthcare providers over their family.