Services for children with hearing loss in urban and rural Australia

Objective To report satisfaction with services for children with hearing loss in urban and rural Australia. Design Mixed-method approach using surveys and semi-structured interviews. Setting Australian organisations that serve children with hearing loss. Participants One hundred parents of children with hearing loss and 91 professionals that serve children with hearing loss completed surveys. Seven parents and eight professionals were interviewed. Main outcome measures Comparison of satisfaction with services in rural and urban areas. Results Timing of initial hearing services was similar in rural and urban areas. Children with hearing loss in rural areas had less satisfaction with services than children in urban areas. Parents of children with hearing loss in rural areas had higher costs, mainly linked to travel, than parents in urban areas. Parents and professionals were concerned that advantaged parents received more services for their child than disadvantaged parents. Parents and professionals in urban and rural areas were satisfied with mainstream education, but less satisfied with education for children with hearing loss and additional disability. Professional satisfaction was lower in rural areas than urban areas. Conclusions This small-scale study adds to research citing reduced services in rural areas. An exception is the newborn hearing screening program, with the limited data presented indicating the program is effectively overcoming the barrier of distance. However, children with hearing loss in rural areas have reduced access to ongoing services.