(0206) Assessment of Health Disparities Experienced by Individuals with Hearing Loss and Health Literacy Issues

Introduction: Recent work in the field shows that those in the hearing loss community face a large host of factors that may lead to treatment disparities such as less access to care based on their location, lower income or socioeconomic position, racial barriers, difficulty scheduling appointments, or even dealing with the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, low health literacy was reported as a major risk factor in exacerbating disparities in accessing healthcare services in patients with hearing loss, an issue we wish to elucidate with this study.

Methods: The Arksey and O’Malley (2005) York methodology was used as guidance for this review: (1) identifying research questions; (2) searching for relevant studies; (3) selecting studies relevant to the research questions; (4) charting the data; and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results. The PRISMA-Scr checklist was used as the main reference checklist. The scoping review took place between July and September of 2023, which analyzed articles that addressed health literacy in patients with hearing loss, problems faced when seeking care, and ways to increase equitable health access.

Results: A total of 56 articles were retained for analysis. Upon completion, data tabulation and summary as well as major findings will be relevant to the following 3 research questions: (1) What type of health disparities do older adults aged 18 years or older with hearing loss encounter when seeking specialized care and access to medical devices such as hearing aids?; (2) What is the role of health literacy in exacerbating existing healthcare disparities in older adults aged18 years or older suffering from hearing loss?; and (3) What are the lessons learned to increase equitable access to affordable and quality care among older adults aged 18 years or older with hearing loss?

Conclusions: Findings will inform evidence-based strategies and frameworks to increase equitable access to affordable and quality care among patients with hearing loss.