Abstract
Background:
Motivational interviewing (MI) has been used in consultation settings to motivate
hearing aid users to increase hearing aid usage. However, the effect of MI on those
who use their hearing aids only rarely or not at all has not been explored.
Purpose:
The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate the effect of MI counseling with elderly
hearing aid recipients found to have low hearing aid use at a six-month follow-up
appointment and to describe clients’ subjective assessments of their perceived need
for hearing aids three months after MI counseling.
Research Design:
The study had a within-subjects pretest–posttest design.
Study Sample:
Forty seven hearing aid recipients who had used their new hearing aids, an average
of <90 min/day, were recruited at a follow-up appointment six months after hearing
aid fitting.
Intervention:
Thirty minutes of MI counseling was provided at the six-month follow-up appointment.
If needed, hearing aid adjustments and technical support were also provided.
Data Collection and Analysis:
The effect of MI counseling in combination with adjustments and technical support
was assessed in relation to datalogged hearing aid use, which was assessed immediately
before (at the six-month follow-up) and three months after (at the nine-month follow-up)
the intervention. Hearing aid experiences were also assessed three months after MI.
Results:
Thirty seven participants (79%) returned for the nine-month follow-up visit and had
modest but significant increases in datalogged hearing aid use in the three months
following MI counseling. Of the 37 participants who returned, 51% had increased their
hearing aid use to at least 2 h/day after the MI counseling. Most of the 37 participants
who attended the nine-month follow-up reported increased need for (59%) or increased
benefit and contentment with (57%) their hearing aid three months after MI; these
participants also had significantly higher datalogged hearing aid use following MI.
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that follow-up appointments using MI counseling in conjunction
with technical support may be useful for increasing hearing aid usage among low-users,
and a randomized controlled trial is warranted.
Key Words
elderly - hearing aid - hearing impaired - motivational interview
