TY - JOUR
T1 - Feasibility of community health workers as teleaudiology patient-site facilitators
T2 - a multilevel training study
AU - Coco, Laura
AU - Piper, Rosie
AU - Marrone, Nicole
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology, and Nordic Audiological Society.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Objective: We evaluated the feasibility of a multi-level teleaudiology patient-site facilitator training program for Community Health Workers (CHWs) at a partnering health centre in southern Arizona. Design: Three levels were offered: Introductory, with basic information on hearing loss and teleaudiology; Intermediate, on technology, team roles, and access issues; and Facilitator, on further knowledge and hands-on skills to serve as patient-site facilitators in synchronous hearing aid service delivery. Six domains of feasibility were addressed using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data included survey responses and observation of hands-on skills. Qualitative data included field notes from group discussion and open-ended survey questions, and were analysed using CHW core competencies. Study sample: Twelve CHWs participated in the introductory training, ten moved on to intermediate, and three continued to the facilitator. Results: Quantitative outcomes indicated that the trainings were feasible according to each of the six domains. CHWs in the facilitator training passed the practical hands-on skill assessment. Qualitative analyses revealed CHWs comments addressed eight of the ten possible CHW core competencies, and focussed on service coordination/navigation, and capacity building. Conclusions: Teleaudiology trainings for CHWs were feasible, increasing service capacity for a potential pathway to improve access to hearing health care in low-resource areas.
AB - Objective: We evaluated the feasibility of a multi-level teleaudiology patient-site facilitator training program for Community Health Workers (CHWs) at a partnering health centre in southern Arizona. Design: Three levels were offered: Introductory, with basic information on hearing loss and teleaudiology; Intermediate, on technology, team roles, and access issues; and Facilitator, on further knowledge and hands-on skills to serve as patient-site facilitators in synchronous hearing aid service delivery. Six domains of feasibility were addressed using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data included survey responses and observation of hands-on skills. Qualitative data included field notes from group discussion and open-ended survey questions, and were analysed using CHW core competencies. Study sample: Twelve CHWs participated in the introductory training, ten moved on to intermediate, and three continued to the facilitator. Results: Quantitative outcomes indicated that the trainings were feasible according to each of the six domains. CHWs in the facilitator training passed the practical hands-on skill assessment. Qualitative analyses revealed CHWs comments addressed eight of the ten possible CHW core competencies, and focussed on service coordination/navigation, and capacity building. Conclusions: Teleaudiology trainings for CHWs were feasible, increasing service capacity for a potential pathway to improve access to hearing health care in low-resource areas.
KW - Community Health Workers/education
KW - Community Health Workers/standards
KW - Tele-audiology/Tele-health
KW - access to health services
KW - inservice training
KW - training
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U2 - 10.1080/14992027.2020.1864487
DO - 10.1080/14992027.2020.1864487
M3 - Article
C2 - 33403874
AN - SCOPUS:85099309789
SN - 1499-2027
VL - 60
SP - 663
EP - 676
JO - International Journal of Audiology
JF - International Journal of Audiology
IS - 9
ER -