Health Literacy and Patient-Centered Care in Audiology - Implications for Adult Aural Rehabilitation

A fundamental principle in adult audiological rehabilitation should be the incorporation of patient preferences and health literacy into the counseling, intervention and management of older adults with hearing impairment. However, there is a lack of field-specific research to help guide audiologists in delivery of gold standard, evidence-based practice in this arena. This is a pressing concern, given the demographic shift to an aging population in which hearing impairment is increasing in both prevalence and severity. This paper examines how Patient-Centered Care (PCC) and health literacy form the interlocking foundations that can greatly influence an individual’s decision making, adherence to treatment, health outcome and overall health status. A brief review of the literature is included, together with a discussion of relevant resources for clinicians who wish to integrate health literacy and PCC into rehabilitative practice.