Inclusion of Older Adults Who Experience Homelessness in Laboratory-Based Audiology Research: A Feasibility Study

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to recruit older adults who experience homelessness into a feasibility study on laboratory-based audiology research. Design: Using best practices for recruiting individuals who experience homelessness into research, we aimed to recruit 25 participants over the course of six months. The protocol included hearing health history and hearing test. Individuals were also referred to services if needed and requested. Results: Among the 11 study participants recruited, almost half of the individuals did not meet the inclusion criteria due to severe hearing loss, neurological disorders, and difficulty staying alert. Conclusions: We identified a few barriers to including older adults who experience homelessness in laboratory-based audiology research and discussed potential strategies. Our findings provide lessons for future audiology research on including a population of individuals who may be vulnerable to health disparity and often omitted from research.