A qualitative research of factors that predict discontinuation or non-use of assistive devices in people with hearing loss and deaf people

BACKGROUND: Deaf people using sign and/or spoken language and hearing-impaired people using spoken language face frequent difficulties in activities of daily living due to the communication barriers. Among the main strategies to compensate or mitigate these difficulties we find assistive devices: video relay services, cochlear implant, audio induction loop, FM system, hearing aids. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore factors contributing to assistive technology abandonment among deaf individuals who use sign language within the deaf community and those who use spoken language. METHODS: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational design was used for the study. A semi-structured interview guide in the form of an ad hoc questionnaire containing 10 questions based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The study was carried out in Salamanca (Spain) in the association SADAP (Association of Postlocution Hearing Loss People) and CCSS (Salamanca Cultural Center for the Deaf). RESULTS: A total of 36 people participated in the study: 6 deaf people, 9 hearing loss people, 8 relatives and 13 professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The most common factors leading to assistive technology abandonment among deaf and hearing-impaired individuals include negative perceptions of the product, malfunction issues, high maintenance costs, insufficient training, and the stigma associated with its use. SIGNIFICANCE: There is a scarcity of studies within occupational therapy focusing on individuals with hearing loss, particularly those who communicate through sign language. This population often faces activity limitations and participation restrictions. While assistive products and technologies can enhance their daily functioning, negative factors that result in abandonment or discontinuation of use remain significant concerns.