Perspectives on mental health screening in the audiology setting : a focus group study involving clinical and nonclinical staff

Abstract

PURPOSE : Audiology clinical guidelines recommend the use of mental health screening tools however, they remain underutilised in clinical practice. As such, psychological concerns are frequently undetected in adults with hearing loss. This study aimed to better understand audiology clinic staff’s perspectives (including audiologists, audiometrists, reception staff, and clinic managers) on how to improve detection of poor mental health by (i) exploring the role of audiology clinic staff in detecting psychological concerns in adults with hearing loss, and ;(ii) investigating the appropriateness, acceptability and usability of several screening tools in an audiology setting. METHOD : Eleven audiology clinic staff (Mage = 33.9 ± 7.3, range 25 to 51 years) participated in a semi-structured focus group. First, participants discussed the role of audiology clinic staff in detecting psychological difficulties in adults with hearing loss, including current practices and needs for improving practices. Second, participants discussed the appropriateness, acceptability and usability of nine standardised mental health screening tools commonly used in wider healthcare settings. RESULTS : Audiology clinic staff described their role in being aware of, and detecting, psychological difficulties, as well as their part in promoting an understanding of the link between hearing loss and mental health. Participants described the need to provide support following detection, and highlighted barriers to fulfilling these roles. The use of mental health screening tools was considered to be client and context specific. The language used within the screener was identified as an important factor for its acceptability by audiology clinic staff. CONCLUSION : Audiology clinic staff acknowledged that they have an important role to play in detection of psychological difficulties, and the core barriers to using screening tools. Future research may explore the possibility of developing a mental health screening tool specific to the unique experiences of adults with comorbid hearing loss and mental health concerns.