Culturally responsive hearing care: Simple actions that make a real difference

As hearing care professionals (HCPs), we know that effective communication is at the heart of what we do. But what happens when language barriers, cultural differences, or unfamiliar clinical norms get in the way?

For many clients from diverse ethnic backgrounds, these invisible barriers mean poorer experiences and outcomes, —despite our best intentions.

The challenge is real: Individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds tend to experience higher rates of hearing loss, yet they are less likely to access and use hearing care services. While many of us are aware of the need for cultural sensitivity, knowing what to actually do in the moment can be less clear.

That’s where our recent research, published in Ear and Hearing, comes in. Working with diverse ethnic community members and an international panel of hearing care experts, we identified the specific, practical actions that make the biggest difference.

What we found: Practical actions for hearing clinics

We interviewed diverse ethnic community members with hearing loss and their families in Australia to understand what they needed from their audiologists. Then we asked an expert panel of HCPs and researchers from around the world to rank which actions were most important and feasible to implement.

The result? Here are the specific actions that make the most difference:

Front-of-house staff should:

• Ask if the client speaks a language other than English at home, and if yes, ask if they would like a free interpreter
• Ask about the client’s preference for including their family member in appointments
• Ask about the client’s preference for the gender of their clinician

HCPs should:

• Ask clients about their expectations of the appointment
• Check if clients understand assessment instructions and repeat them as necessary
• Encourage clients to stop them when they don’t understand
• Take time to help clients understand the benefits and limitations of treatment options
• Discuss communication strategies and assistive listening devices
• Inform clients about resources in their local community for hearing problems
• Provide information in other languages if needed
• Ask if clients have other questions or concerns before they leave

Asking about interpreter needs was ranked as the most important action, yet many clinics don’t routinely do this. Many assume that if a client can book an appointment in English, they have sufficient language proficiency for the consultation. This is problematic. The language skills needed to book an appointment are vastly different from those needed to understand complex audiological instructions and consultations.

We also discovered that some clinics depend on family members to interpret. Family involvement is important for supporting the clients but relying on relatives as interpreters in medical settings raises ethical concerns.

The good news? These actions aren’t too difficult or expensive to implement. Think of it as a clinical checklist. You can build these culturally responsive actions into your standard practice.

Why this matters

Hearing loss already impacts social connection, employment, and quality of life. It’s fundamentally unfair that these impacts are compounded for some communities simply because our services aren’t culturally responsive.

When we implement these actions, ethnically diverse clients can better communicate with us, understand their options, and receive the quality care they deserve. This isn’t about providing “special” care; it’s about providing equitable care for all.

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For more information about this research, read the full publication:

Nickbakht, Mansoureh; Nisar, Mehwish; Furze, Cailyn; Scarinci, Nerina; Newall, John; Hickson, Louise; Timmer, Barbra; Armitage, Christopher J.; Dawes, Piers. What Does Culturally Responsive Hearing Care Look Like? The Views of Service Users, Clinicians, and Researchers. Ear & Hearing, 46(6):p 1479-1489, 2025.  https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0000000000001686

Acknowledgments: This research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. It was a collaborative effort involving The University of Queensland, Macquarie University, University of Manchester, and Hearing Australia, along with over 10 community organizations.