Barriers and facilitators to asking adults with hearing loss about their emotional and psychological well-being: a COM-B analysis

To explore the barriers and facilitators faced by hearing healthcare clinicians (HHCs) with respect to asking adults with hearing loss (HL) about their emotional well-being. This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups. The interview topic guide was developed based on the COM-B model. Fifteen HHCs of a single hearing services organisation in Western Australia across 13 clinic locations participated. Barriers and facilitators that may influence HHCs’ behaviour of routinely asking adults about their emotional well-being include having the knowledge and skills to ask about emotional well-being, forgetting to ask, awareness of the emotional impacts of HL, time and tools for asking, clients’ reactions to being asked, supportive peers, normalisation of discussions relating to emotional well-being, presence of significant others, emotions associated with asking, being in the habit of asking, reminders, beliefs about consequences and confidence or capabilities, and scope of audiology practice. Application of the COM-B model identified barriers in capabilities (e.g. knowledge), opportunities (e.g. tools), and motivation (e.g. beliefs about benefits of asking about emotions) that need to be addressed for HHCs to ask their clients about their emotional well-being.

本研究旨在探讨听力健康临床医生（HHCs）在询问听力损失（HL）成人情感福祉时所面临的障碍与促进因素。本研究采用半结构化个体访谈和焦点小组进行定性研究。访谈指南基于COM-B模型制定。来自澳大利亚西部的单一听力服务组织，在13个诊所地点的15名HHCs参与了研究。可能影响HHCs常规询问成人情感福祉行为的障碍与促进因素包括：询问情感福祉的知识与技能、遗忘询问、对HL情感影响的认识、询问所需的时间和工具、客户对被询问的反应、支持性同伴、与情感福祉相关的讨论的常规化、重要他人的存在、询问时的情绪、询问的习惯、提醒、对询问后果的信念以及信心或能力、以及听力实践的范围。应用COM-B模型识别了能力（例如，知识）、机会（例如，工具）和动机（例如，询问情感福祉的益处信念）等方面的障碍，这些障碍需要得到解决，以便HHCs能够询问客户关于他们的情感福祉。