Hearing Loss and Aid Attitudes in Health Sciences Students

Background: Being able to communicate with a hard-of-hearing individual, maintaining communication, and encouraging the use of hearing aids by explaining their benefits are responsibilities not only of audiologists but also of other healthcare providers.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the knowledge levels and attitudes of students enrolled in departments other than Audiology within the Faculty of Health Sciences regarding hearing loss and the use of hearing aids.

Research Design: This study is a descriptive. Study Sample: The study included students enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ondokuz Mayıs University.

Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected using the "Hearing Loss and Hearing Aid Knowledge and Attitudes Questionnaire Among Faculty of Health Sciences Students," which consisted of 29 items. The One-Way ANOVA test was used to compare quantitative variables between groups.

Inclusion criteria

• Students from the departments of Nursing, Midwifery, Nutrition and Dietetics, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Speech and Language Therapy, Child Development, Orthotics and Prosthetics, Health Management, and Social Work
• Voluntarily agreed to participate in the study
• Individuals aged 18 years and older
• No personal or family history of hearing loss,
• No history of ear surgery,
• Who did not use hearing aids

Exclusion criteria

• Being audiology student
• Individuals aged under 18 years
• Who use hearing aids,
• With a personal or family history of ear surgery or hearing loss