Exploring the barriers and facilitators to effective communication with people with age-related hearing loss in community pharmacy settings

Abstract

Background

As populations age, there is a growing number of people who are affected by age-related hearing loss, who are living with chronic health conditions, treated using multiple medicines. Community pharmacy plays an important role in ensuring safe and effective medicine use.

Objective

This study explored the barriers and facilitators to effective communication with people with age-related hearing loss in the community pharmacy setting.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen pharmacy users with self-reported age-related hearing loss in the United Kingdom (UK). Eight community pharmacists took part across two focus groups and one interview. Using a deductive-inductive approach to framework analysis, three overarching themes were generated.

Results

‘Navigating the environment’ highlights barriers related to pharmacists reportedly high workloads and time pressures, also reflected in pharmacy user's accounts. Background noise reduced the confidentiality and effectiveness of communication. Participants had differing views on the extent to which hearing aids could overcome these challenges. ‘Debating the need to communicate and to disclose hearing loss’ reflects barriers relating to pharmacy users' tendency to not disclose their needs, in relation to their personal feelings (embarrassment), perceptions of, and limited contact with, community pharmacy services. Yet, pharmacists emphasised a need to know about hearing loss to adapt communication effectively. Participants reported similar and distinct perspectives regarding ‘coping strategies and solutions to communicate effectively’.

Conclusion

Participants identified a need to improve pharmacists' capacity to implement communication adaptations for people with hearing loss, for which pharmacists suggested digital interventions, and to visibly recognise sensory needs, to promote disclosure.