Feasibility of community health workers as teleaudiology patient-site facilitators: a multilevel training study.

Coco, Laura; Piper, Rosie; Marrone, Nicole

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the feasibility of a multi-level teleaudiology patient-site facilitator training program for Community Health Workers (CHWs) at a partnering health centre in southern Arizona. DESIGN Three levels were offered: Introductory, with basic information on hearing loss and teleaudiology; Intermediate, on technology, team roles, and access issues; and Facilitator, on further knowledge and hands-on skills to serve as patient-site facilitators in synchronous hearing aid service delivery. Six domains of feasibility were addressed using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data included survey responses and observation of hands-on skills. Qualitative data included field notes from group discussion and open-ended survey questions, and were analysed using CHW core competencies. STUDY SAMPLE Twelve CHWs participated in the introductory training, ten moved on to intermediate, and three continued to the facilitator. RESULTS Quantitative outcomes indicated that the trainings were feasible according to each of the six domains. CHWs in the facilitator training passed the practical hands-on skill assessment. Qualitative analyses revealed CHWs comments addressed eight of the ten possible CHW core competencies, and focussed on service coordination/navigation, and capacity building. CONCLUSIONS Teleaudiology trainings for CHWs were feasible, increasing service capacity for a potential pathway to improve access to hearing health care in low-resource areas.