Conversation breakdowns in the audiology clinic: the importance of mutual gaze.

Background: Conversational breakdowns are a persistent concern for older adults with hearing impairment (HI). Previous studies in experimental settings have investigated potential causes of breakdowns in conversations with a person with HI, and effective strategies for repairing these breakdowns. However, little research has explored the causes of hearing-related communication breakdowns, and their repairs, in extended, naturally occurring conversations in a healthcare setting.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health as a Framework for Providing Patient- and Family-Centered Audiological Care for Older Adults and Their Significant Others.

Hearing impairment is highly prevalent in the older population, and it impacts communication and quality of life for both the people with the hearing difficulties and their significant others. In this article, typical audiological assessment and management of an older adult is contrasted with a best practice approach wherein the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework is applied. The aim of the comparison is to demonstrate how the ICF expands our focus: rather than merely focusing on impairment, we also consider the activities, participation, and contextual factors for both the person with the hearing impairment and his or her family.

What Is the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and Why Is It Relevant to Audiology?

The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is widely used in disability and health sectors as a framework to describe the far-reaching effects of a range of health conditions on individuals. This biopsychosocial framework can be used to describe the experience of an individual in the components of body functions, body structures, and activities and participation, and it considers the influence of contextual factors (environmental and personal) on these components. Application of the ICF in audiology allows the use of a common language between health care professionals in both clinical and research settings.

Application of the transtheoretical model of behaviour change for identifying older clients' readiness for hearing rehabilitation during history-taking in audiology appointments.

Objectives: The transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change focuses on clients' readiness for adopting new health behaviours. This study explores how clients' readiness for change can be identified through their interactions with audiologists during history-taking in initial appointments; and whether clients' readiness has consequences for the rehabilitation decisions they make within the initial appointment.

Design: Conversation analysis (CA) was used to examine video-recorded initial audiology appointments with older adults with hearing impairment.

The nature of communication throughout diagnosis and management planning in initial audiologic rehabilitation consultations.

Background: Effective practitioner-patient communication throughout diagnosis and management planning positively influences patient outcomes. A patient-centered approach whereby patient involvement in decision making is facilitated, a therapeutic relationship is developed, and information is bilaterally exchanged in an appropriate manner, leads to improved patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and self-management. Despite this knowledge, little is known about the nature of audiologist-patient communication throughout diagnosis and management planning.

Communication patterns in audiologic rehabilitation history-taking: audiologists, patients, and their companions.

Objectives: The nature of communication between patient and practitioner influences patient outcomes. Specifically, the history-taking phase of a consultation plays a role in the development of a relationship and in the success of subsequent shared decision making. There is limited research investigating patient-centered communication in audiology, and this study may be the first to investigate verbal communication in an adult audiologic rehabilitation context.

Family member involvement in audiology appointments with older people with hearing impairment.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate family members' involvement in audiology rehabilitation appointments.

Design: Audiology appointments were video-recorded and analysed using quantitative coding and conversation analysis (CA).

Study Sample: The study sample included 13 audiologists, 17 older adults with hearing impairment, and 17 family members.

Addressing patients' psychosocial concerns regarding hearing aids within audiology appointments for older adults.

Purpose: It has long been documented that patients may experience emotional reactions to a diagnosis of hearing impairment and recommendation of hearing aids. Because of this, patients may raise psychosocial concerns regarding their hearing rehabilitation during audiology appointments, particularly in relation to getting hearing aids. However, thus far there has been little systematic research exploring how patients' concerns about hearing aids are addressed by audiologists within appointments.

Patient-centred audiological rehabilitation: perspectives of older adults who own hearing aids.

Objective: Patient-centred care is a term frequently associated with quality health care. Despite extensive literature from a range of health-care professions that provide description and measurement of patient-centred care, a definition of patient-centredness in audiological rehabilitation is lacking. The current study aimed to define patient-centred care specific to audiological rehabilitation from the perspective of older adults who have owned hearing aids for at least one year.

Patient-centred care: a review for rehabilitative audiologists.

Objective: This discussion paper aims to synthesise the literature on patient-centred care from a range of health professions and to relate this to the field of rehabilitative audiology. Through review of the literature, this paper addresses five questions: What is patient-centred care? How is patient-centred care measured? What are the outcomes of patient-centred care? What are the factors contributing to patient-centred care? What are the implications for audiological rehabilitation?

Design: Literature review and synthesis.

Study Sample: Publications were identified by structured searches in PubMed, Cinahl, Web of Knowledge, and PsychInfo, and by inspecting the reference lists of relevant articles.

An Australian survey of audiologists' preferences for patient-centredness.

Objective: Patient-centredness is becoming a core value of health services worldwide, however it remains largely unexplored in audiology. This study investigated audiologists' preferences for patient-centredness and identified factors that explain audiologists' preferences for patient-centredness.

Design: All members of the Audiological Society of Australia received two questionnaires: (1) a descriptive questionnaire (e.