Why Family Physicians Refer (or Don't) for Adult Hearing Assessment: A Qualitative Interview Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence family physicians' (FPs') referral behaviors when referring adult patients for hearing assessments.

METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted in which FPs were recruited for 30-min semistructured interviews. The interview schedule was developed using a topic schedule approach and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Nine FPs with clinical experience ranging from 4 to 32 years (M = 25 years) were recruited.

RESULTS

When referring adult patients, FPs consider overall patient health, potential benefits and risks of hearing assessments, reported symptoms, medical history, physical examinations, and observed behaviors indicating hearing loss. Government and clinical protocols, personal experiences with hearing loss, and relevant education programs also influence referral practices. FPs consider contraindications such as medical reasons, patient motivation, limited specialist services, and logistical challenges for patients in regional and remote areas. They expressed a desire for increased involvement of audiologists in primary care and sought education on the hearing assessment process, interpretation of audiology results, and hearing rehabilitation options.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple factors influenced FPs' referral behaviors for hearing assessments. Further research is needed to understand these factors and to implement findings to expand knowledge and develop effective referral tools for FPs.