Challenges and Successes of an Audio-Technician Training Program in Guatemala

Abstract

Hearing healthcare outreach in developing countries is ill defined and inundated with sustainability challenges. One method to facilitate sustainable efforts is by training local personnel on certain aspects of hearing healthcare. The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the challenges and successes of an audio-technician training program conducted in various regions throughout Guatemala. A collaboration was created between Healing the Children, Centro de Audicion, the University of Washington, and Gallaudet University to create a learning environment for Guatemalan audio-technicians and audiology graduate students. Administration of the audio-technician training component of this program began in 2008 and continues today. Challenges and successes were identified around five themes: (1) audio-technician recruitment and skills upon entering training program; (2) practical and logistical components of clinical training; (3) collaboration and resources for ongoing care; (4) funding for travel, time, and accommodation for personnel involved in training sessions; and (5) cultural differences surrounding our approach to hearing healthcare and training. Approaches to overcome the barriers identified and future directions are discussed.

Keywords

Guatemala - audio-technician - global hearing healthcare

• References

• 1 Wilson BS, Tucci DL, Merson MH, O'Donoghue GM. Global hearing health care: new findings and perspectives. Lancet 2017; 390 (10111): 2503-2515
• 2 World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss. WHO Press. 2019 . Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/ . Accessed August 21, 2019.
• 3 Tucci D, Merson MH, Wilson BS. A summary of the literature on global hearing impairment: current status and priorities for action. Otol Neurotol 2010; 31 (01) 31-41
• 4 World Health Organization. WHO global estimates on prevalence of hearing loss. WHO Press. 2012 . Available at: https://www.who.int/deafness/estimates/en/ . Accessed August 20, 2019
• 5 The World Bank. GNI per capita, Atlas method (current US$). Available at: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ny.gnp.pcap.cd . Accessed August 20, 2019.
• 6 World Health Organization. Multi-Country Assessment of National Capacity to Provide Hearing Care. WHO Press. 2013 . Available at: https://www.who.int/pbd/publications/WHOReportHearingCare_Englishweb.pdf . Accessed August 21, 2019
• 7 Olusanya BO, Ruben RJ, Parving A. Reducing the burden of communication disorders in the developing world: an opportunity for the millennium development project. JAMA 2006; 296 (04) 441-444
• 8 Queen KQ, Marie R. Current perspectives on humanitarian hearing healthcare: a survey of U.S. audiologists. 2015 . Independent Studies and Capstones. Paper 710. Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine. Available at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/pacs_capstones/710 . Accessed August 19, 2019
• 9 McPherson B, Brouillette R. Introduction. In: McPherson B, Brouillette R, eds. Audiology in Developing Countries. New York: Nova Science; 2008: 1-3
• 10 Carkeet D, Pither D, Anderson M. Service, training and outreach--the EARS Inc. Model for a self sustainable hearing program in action. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol 2014; 9 (05) 383-390