{"title":"Opening Access but Concealing Contact: A First Study of Over-The-Counter Hearing Aid Consumer-Facing Communications.","authors":"Sara Champlin, Sharon Miller, Abigail Griffith, Ariel Hatley, Candice Reed, Erin Schafer","doi":"10.1080/10410236.2024.2375146","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hearing loss is a prevalent chronic health condition with approximately 40 million Americans living with mild to moderate hearing loss. Yet, only about 20% will ever pursue hearing interventions. To broaden uptake the FDA approved over the counter (OTC) hearing aid (HA) options in October 2022. A stigmatized health topic, it is both necessary and well-timed to explore how HAs are depicted in consumer-facing communications, which has not been formally studied to date. The present study examines social media posts across a one-year time frame (six months prior and six months following the FDA announcement) from the three most-followed OTC HA brands. With the shift to OTC, HA companies are responsible for communicating directly with consumers. Through the lens of Contact Theory, we explore three mechanisms by which these messages enact stigma, through contact with (1) people, (2) HA products, and (3) a larger brand community. Overall, only 22% of posts discussed OTC in any capacity. Contact was similarly limited, with only 9% of posts showing a person wearing an HA. However, following the FDA announcement, the number of posts depicting people or social relationships doubled (23% to 58% and 13% to 36%, respectively). To overcome stigma and increase uptake of these essential health products, it is important to promote contact with hearing aids and those who wear them. Timely implications for health communication research and practice are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":12889,"journal":{"name":"Health Communication","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Health Communication","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2024.2375146","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"COMMUNICATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Hearing loss is a prevalent chronic health condition with approximately 40 million Americans living with mild to moderate hearing loss. Yet, only about 20% will ever pursue hearing interventions. To broaden uptake the FDA approved over the counter (OTC) hearing aid (HA) options in October 2022. A stigmatized health topic, it is both necessary and well-timed to explore how HAs are depicted in consumer-facing communications, which has not been formally studied to date. The present study examines social media posts across a one-year time frame (six months prior and six months following the FDA announcement) from the three most-followed OTC HA brands. With the shift to OTC, HA companies are responsible for communicating directly with consumers. Through the lens of Contact Theory, we explore three mechanisms by which these messages enact stigma, through contact with (1) people, (2) HA products, and (3) a larger brand community. Overall, only 22% of posts discussed OTC in any capacity. Contact was similarly limited, with only 9% of posts showing a person wearing an HA. However, following the FDA announcement, the number of posts depicting people or social relationships doubled (23% to 58% and 13% to 36%, respectively). To overcome stigma and increase uptake of these essential health products, it is important to promote contact with hearing aids and those who wear them. Timely implications for health communication research and practice are discussed.
期刊介绍:
As an outlet for scholarly intercourse between medical and social sciences, this noteworthy journal seeks to improve practical communication between caregivers and patients and between institutions and the public. Outstanding editorial board members and contributors from both medical and social science arenas collaborate to meet the challenges inherent in this goal. Although most inclusions are data-based, the journal also publishes pedagogical, methodological, theoretical, and applied articles using both quantitative or qualitative methods.