Open AccessBarriers and Facilitators to Cochlear Implant Uptake in Australia and the United Kingdom
Author(s) -
Mia Bierbaum,
Catherine M. McMahon,
Sarah Hughes,
Isabelle Boisvert,
Annie Lau,
Jeffrey Braithwaite,
Frances Rapport
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ear and hearing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.577
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1538-4667
pISSN - 0196-0202
DOI - 10.1097/aud.0000000000000762
Subject(s) - medicine , referral , audiologist , thematic analysis , hearing loss , family medicine , focus group , health care , qualitative research , audiology , economics , economic growth , social science , business , marketing , sociology
Hearing loss (HL) affects a significant proportion of adults aged >50 years by impairing communication and social connectedness and, due to its high prevalence, is a growing global concern. Cochlear implants (CIs) are effective devices for many people with severe or greater sensorineural HL who experience limited benefits from hearing aids. Despite this, uptake rates globally are low among adults. This multimethod, multicountry qualitative study aimed to investigate the barriers and facilitators to CI uptake among adults aged ≥50 years.