Department of Speech Therapy and Audiology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital Speech Therapy and Audiology, Johannesburg.
S Afr J Commun Disord. 2023 Nov 14;70(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/sajcd.v70i1.967.
Clinical non-attendance to audiological appointments may negatively affect early diagnosis and intervention as well as treatment outcomes for adults with hearing impairments.
This study aimed to explore the attendance rate and factors influencing attendance and non-attendance at an adult audiology diagnostic clinic at a tertiary hospital in Gauteng, South Africa.
A mixed-methods research design, utilising structured questionnaires and a retrospective record review was adopted. A total of 31 adult patients at a diagnostic audiology clinic were interviewed.
Findings revealed an attendance rate of 47.62%, with 52.38% rate failure to return for follow-up appointments. Key reasons for attendance included understanding the need for appointments (57%), staff attitudes (42%) and appointment reminders (17%), and those for non-attendance included multiple appointments (33%), work commitments (28%), transport (8%) and forgetting about the appointment (8%). Six reasons for non-attendance were prominent in the current study: having multiple appointments (33%), work commitments (28%), forgetting the appointment (8%), transport difficulties (8%), attitudes and/or perceptions of the healthcare system (4%) and sequelae of hearing impairment (8%).
This study reinforces previous research findings while highlighting that health literacy and Batho Pele (people first) ethos by staff positively influence attendance.Contribution: Current findings contribute towards contextually relevant evidence on the attendance rate in this sector for ear and hearing care, as well as additional insights into factors influencing this within the South African context. This information is crucial for clinical services provision planning as well as for policy formulation around resource allocation in the public healthcare sector.
临床不参加听力学预约可能会对成年人听力障碍的早期诊断和干预以及治疗结果产生负面影响。
本研究旨在探讨南非豪登省一家三级医院成人听力学诊断诊所的就诊率以及影响就诊和不就诊的因素。
采用混合方法研究设计，使用结构化问卷和回顾性病历审查。对 31 名成人诊断性听力学诊所的患者进行了访谈。
研究结果显示，就诊率为 47.62%，有 52.38%的患者未能按时返回复诊。就诊的主要原因包括理解预约的必要性（57%）、工作人员的态度（42%）和预约提醒（17%），不就诊的主要原因包括多次预约（33%）、工作承诺（28%）、交通（8%）和忘记预约（8%）。目前的研究中突出了六个不就诊的原因：多次预约（33%）、工作承诺（28%）、忘记预约（8%）、交通困难（8%）、对医疗保健系统的态度和/或看法（4%）以及听力障碍的后遗症（8%）。
本研究证实了之前的研究结果，同时强调健康素养和工作人员的 Batho Pele（以人为本）理念对就诊率有积极影响。
本研究为耳科和听力保健领域提供了有关该领域就诊率的相关证据，并为南非背景下影响就诊率的因素提供了更多见解。这些信息对于临床服务提供规划以及公共医疗保健部门资源分配的政策制定至关重要。
