Over-the-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aid Availability across the Spectrum of Human Skin Colors.

BACKGROUND: Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids were recently approved for sale in the United States. Research has shown that consumers prefer hearing devices that match their skin color because these devices are less noticeable. Colorism is discrimination against individuals with relatively darker skin that manifests in "skin-color" product offerings as products being offered primarily in relatively lighter colors. METHODS: This study compared images of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-registered over-the-counter hearing aids to a range of human skin colors. RESULTS: Most over-the-counter hearing aids are only offered in relatively lighter beige colors. Few over-the-counter hearing aids are available in darker skin colors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may represent structural bias, preventing equitable access to darker skin-color OTC hearing aids for individuals with darker skin.

Does Trauma-Informed Care Have a Place in Audiology? A Review and Practical Suggestions.

BACKGROUND: Trauma from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and serious traumatic events in adulthood is a significantly prevalent concern for public-health-hearing healthcare professionals. The pediatric and geriatric populations that audiologists often work with have been shown to be at an increased risk of experiencing traumatic events. Childhood and adult trauma can significantly impact the hearing and vestibular testing and treatment of these patients. METHODS: This narrative review article discusses trauma-informed care (TIC) strategies that audiologists can use to recognize and respond to trauma in patients and prevent retraumatizing patients during their encounters in audiology clinics. CONCLUSIONS: This article will provide an overview of TIC and direct the reader to resources for their continued learning. Practical guidance on implementing trauma-informed practices in clinical audiology are also provided.

Experiences of Patient Bigotry Among Doctor of Audiology Graduate Clinicians: A Review and Recommendations.

PURPOSE: Students in audiology clinical doctorate programs in the United States are required to participate in direct patient care under the supervision of a licensed precepting audiologist during their schooling. Audiology student clinicians commonly rotate through a variety of clinical settings with their own organizational structure, policies, and precepting clinicians. Systemic prejudice and stigma cause many of these student clinicians to experience bigotry from the patients they work with. METHOD: This review discusses the populations of audiology students at highest risk of patient bigotry and discusses the intersectionality of students with several historically marginalized identities. RESULTS: Little scholarship exists in the field of audiology on the bigotry that graduate student clinicians experience. The effects of bigotry are reviewed, and practical guidance on preparing for and responding to bigotry from patients is provided. CONCLUSIONS: As health care workers, these students are essential workers contributing to the health and health care of the population, making their well-being a critical public health concern. Bigotry from others has been shown to contribute to mental illness, burnout, and poorer physical health among the people experiencing it.

Providing Mindful and Informed Health Care for Patients Who Are LGBTQ+: Perspectives for Clinical Audiology.

PURPOSE: More than 7% of the U.S. population identifies as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other identities), meaning clinical audiologists in all settings are likely to encounter LGBTQ+ patients seeking audiological services. This conceptual clinical focus article (a) introduces contemporary LGBTQ+ terms, definitions, and pertinent issues; (b) summarizes the current state of knowledge on barriers to equitable hearing health care access and utilization for people who identify as LGBTQ+; (c) explores the legal, ethical, and moral obligations for audiologists to provide equitable care to people who identify as LGBTQ+; and (d) provides resources to continue to learn about salient LGBTQ+ issues. CONCLUSIONS: This clinical focus article provides actionable guidance to clinical audiologists on providing inclusive equitable care to LGBTQ+ patients. Practical actionable guidance on how clinical audiologists can make their clinical practice more inclusive for their patients who identify as LGBTQ+ is provided.

Transgender Health Care Primer for Clinical Audiologists.

PURPOSE: Transgender people have been increasingly visible in society. Recent research has indicated that millions of Americans, 0.7% of the total population, identify as transgender. Although transgender people experience all the same auditory and vestibular disorders as people who are not transgender, there is a dearth of information about transgender issues in audiology graduate education and continuing education. The author discusses their positionality as a transgender audiologist and provides guidance on working with transgender patients from their experience and from the published literature. CONCLUSION: This tutorial provides an overview of transgender identity for clinical audiologists and summarizes the social, legal, and medical landscape of transgender identity as it relates to audiology.

Practical and ethical considerations for neurodiversity inclusion in audiology education and practice.

BACKGROUND: . An increasing number of people who are neurodiverse (people who have conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia) are pursuing higher education, including education and employment in the field of audiology METHODS: . This conceptual article was written by neurodivergent professionals to promote a cultural shift of inclusion for students, clinicians, researchers, and professors who identify as neurodivergent. FINDINGS: . People with these conditions thrive with supportive accommodations in higher education and workplaces but little has been reported in the literature on neurodiversity accommodations in audiology education and practice CONCLUSIONS: . This article reviews the current literature on neurodiversity as it relates to audiology and discusses the practical and ethical considerations for neurodiversity inclusivity in the discipline of audiology.

How Audiology Alienates Transgender Audiologists.

There are more transgender and gender-diverse clinical audiologists working today than might at first be apparent. The field of audiology, however, has unique interpersonal and structural factors that cause transgender audiologists to experience significant prejudice and discrimination from their patients and colleagues. Transgender audiologists who experience discrimination are at higher risk of stress, burnout, and leaving the field of audiology altogether. Improved education for healthcare professionals on LGBTQIA+ topics in graduate and continuing education may resolve many of the unequitable experiences that transgender audiologists experience and lead to improved patient care for our gender diverse patients.