How to access hearing services for your patients

Do you have patients who may have a hearing problem, but forget to raise the issue with you? Or do they find it hard to hear you in consultations?  

It’s not uncommon for people to delay seeking help for any hearing problems, and this is backed up by evidence. Research has found that it can take up to seven to nine years to access and utilise hearing services and devices. A systematic review of 30 studies found the primary barriers to accessing hearing care were financial limitations, stigma of hearing devices, inconvenience, competing chronic health problems, and unrealistic expectations.¹  

The evidence suggests that minimising the delay in using a device will help people make the most of the aid and allow them to adjust to the amplified sound in their daily activities.^{2 3} Compliance is most affected by self-efficacy, education level, and engagement in the rehabilitation process.   

People also may not know about the Australian Government Hearing Service Program (program), which aims to assist people with hearing loss to maximise their potential for independent communication and improve their quality of life. The program facilitates access to high-quality hearing services and devices, particularly for the most vulnerable Australians - those with Pensioner Concession Card holders, amongst other groups, being eligible for the program.  

You can access the program at Hearing Services Program. The website also has some information about services other than the program, should your patient not be program eligible.  

GPs play an important role in increasing awareness of the importance of addressing these issues and seeking assistance with any hearing difficulties. This includes referral of patients to a hearing service provider and fully utilising available Medicare items such as the chronic health checks and the age-based screens. 

In the meantime, the Department of Health and Aged Care is also working to:  

More information on these activities will be provided as they near completion.  

Articles that may be of interest to GPs include: 

Livingston G, Huntley J, Sommerlad A, Ames D, Ballard C, Bannerjee S, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care. Lancet. 2020;396(10248):413–446: Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission - The Lancet  

1.WHO Hearing screening: considerations for implementation 

2.Tordrup D. et al (2022) Global return on investment and cost-effectiveness of WHO’s HEAR interventions for hearing loss: a modelling study.  Lancet Glob Health 2022; 10:e52-62 

3.WHO World Report on Hearing: https://apps.who.int/iris/rest/bitstreams/1334317/retrieve  

4.Trecca EMC, Gelardi M, Cassano M. COVID-19 and hearing difficulties. Am J Otolaryngol. 2020;41(4):102496. 

5.Helvik A-S, Krokstad S, Tambs K. Hearing loss and risk of early retirement. The HUNT study. The Eur J Pub Health. 2013;23(4):617–22. 

6.Shan A et al. Hearing loss and employment: a systematic review of the association between hearing loss and employment among adults. J Laryngol Otol 2020;134:387–397 

7.Pronk M, Deeg DJ, Smits C, van Tilburg TG, Kuik DJ, Festen JM, et al. Prospective effects of hearing status on loneliness and depression in older persons: identification of subgroups. Int J Audiol. 2011;50(12):887–96 

8.Shukla A et al. Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Social Isolation: A Systematic Review. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2020, 162 (5), 622-633 

9.Blazer DG. Hearing loss: the silent risk for psychiatric disorders in late life. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2018;41(1):19–27 

10.Kim A et al. Association of Hearing Loss With Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry Oct 14 2020 ; S1064-7481(20)30510- 

Any queries can be directed to hearing@hearing.gov.au.