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Table 2 Focus group findings on hearing health issues

From: Feasibility of a low-cost hearing screening in rural Indiana

Major Research Question

Identified as benefits (positive factors)

Identified as barriers (negative factors)

1. Hearing as an important factor to health

1. Hearing perceived as being important to very important.

2. Hearing health practices have evolved (testing and hearing protection have improved over time)

1. Many participants reported not having a recent hearing test. Some had not had a test in as long as long as 10–15 years ago

2. Although participants viewed hearing as important, they felt that hearing was not a major concern when compared to other health issues (i.e. heart disease, cancer, and diabetes)

3. Difficult to find time to get hearing tested

4. Hearing was perceived as being an issue that people could “adjust” to (i.e. you could increase the volume on the television and cell phones or have family members speak louder so they can hear them)

5. Older farmers reported not use hearing protective gear because it makes it difficult to do their job efficiently

2. Exploring feasibility of taking the National Hearing Test (NHT)

1. Most individuals shared positive but mixed feelings about taking the NHT (i.e. would take it out of curiosity but were interested in how the test differed from the pure-tone audiometer screening)

1. Participants do not have a landline phone at home

2. Several participants wore hearing aid or were already aware of their hearing loss and felt the NHT would not be helpful

3. Some participants thought a more rigorous test is needed (i.e. pure-tone audiometer screening)

4. From farmers who have not been diagnosed with a hearing issue, many felt that providing protective gear would be more beneficial than screening test

3. Community space to disseminate NHT and Hearing Health Strategies

1. Participants would consider taking NHT if offered and highly promoted in the community

2. Appropriate venues for offering NHT:

 - Middle and high schools

 - Hospitals

 - Community-wide health fairs

 - Libraries

 - Fraternities and sororities with hearing protection as primary focus

1. Participants were not willing to pay for testing