Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study
Introduction Pacific Islands have among the highest prevalence of pediatric hearing impairment in the world. Given the limited availability of ear and hearing specialists in the Pacific region, the broader health professional community plays a vital role in the prevention of avoidable pediatric hear...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | SAGE Open Nursing |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608231216163 |
| _version_ | 1797511080232091648 |
|---|---|
| author | Annette Kaspar PhD Ma’atasesa Samuelu-Matthes MHCL Carlie Driscoll PhD Sione Pifeleti MBBS |
| author_facet | Annette Kaspar PhD Ma’atasesa Samuelu-Matthes MHCL Carlie Driscoll PhD Sione Pifeleti MBBS |
| author_sort | Annette Kaspar PhD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction Pacific Islands have among the highest prevalence of pediatric hearing impairment in the world. Given the limited availability of ear and hearing specialists in the Pacific region, the broader health professional community plays a vital role in the prevention of avoidable pediatric hearing impairment. Nurses emerge as one of the ideal candidates for task-sharing in the administration of ear and hearing care at the public and primary healthcare levels. Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness and perceptions of university nursing students in Samoa to pediatric hearing impairment and hearing healthcare. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional study design. A 10-item questionnaire was administered to university nursing students in Samoa ( N = 100). The statements aimed to evaluate perceptions towards childhood hearing impairment, as well as awareness of causal factors of permanent childhood hearing loss and available hearing healthcare. Participants were required to provide a response based on the five-point Likert scale “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Neutral/Don’t know,” “Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.” Results Overall, 79% of participants responded “Disagree/Strongly Disagree” to the item “Hearing loss is not that important because it does not kill.” Overall, 52% of respondents were aware of hearing impairment as a public health concern in Samoa. Early identification and intervention services for newborns with hearing impairment are nonexistent in Samoa, and awareness was low for the importance of early detection (62%) and amplification suitability for babies (49%). Overall, awareness was also low for causal factors of permanent sensorineural hearing loss. Conclusions A borderline neutral/positive perception was found among our future nursing professionals to engage with pediatric hearing impairment in Samoa. Awareness regarding the causes of permanent childhood hearing impairment, as well as early identification and intervention services, could be integrated in the university curriculum. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:40:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7840c90ded9b4e21978523a08296e8f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2377-9608 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:40:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SAGE Open Nursing |
| spelling | doaj.art-7840c90ded9b4e21978523a08296e8f22023-11-22T22:33:50ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open Nursing2377-96082023-11-01910.1177/23779608231216163Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional StudyAnnette Kaspar PhD0Ma’atasesa Samuelu-Matthes MHCL1Carlie Driscoll PhD2Sione Pifeleti MBBS3 Hearing Research Unit for Children, , Brisbane, Australia School of Nursing, , Apia, Samoa Hearing Research Unit for Children, , Brisbane, Australia ENT Department, , Ministry of Health, Apia, SamoaIntroduction Pacific Islands have among the highest prevalence of pediatric hearing impairment in the world. Given the limited availability of ear and hearing specialists in the Pacific region, the broader health professional community plays a vital role in the prevention of avoidable pediatric hearing impairment. Nurses emerge as one of the ideal candidates for task-sharing in the administration of ear and hearing care at the public and primary healthcare levels. Objectives The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness and perceptions of university nursing students in Samoa to pediatric hearing impairment and hearing healthcare. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional study design. A 10-item questionnaire was administered to university nursing students in Samoa ( N = 100). The statements aimed to evaluate perceptions towards childhood hearing impairment, as well as awareness of causal factors of permanent childhood hearing loss and available hearing healthcare. Participants were required to provide a response based on the five-point Likert scale “Strongly Agree,” “Agree,” “Neutral/Don’t know,” “Disagree,” and “Strongly Disagree.” Results Overall, 79% of participants responded “Disagree/Strongly Disagree” to the item “Hearing loss is not that important because it does not kill.” Overall, 52% of respondents were aware of hearing impairment as a public health concern in Samoa. Early identification and intervention services for newborns with hearing impairment are nonexistent in Samoa, and awareness was low for the importance of early detection (62%) and amplification suitability for babies (49%). Overall, awareness was also low for causal factors of permanent sensorineural hearing loss. Conclusions A borderline neutral/positive perception was found among our future nursing professionals to engage with pediatric hearing impairment in Samoa. Awareness regarding the causes of permanent childhood hearing impairment, as well as early identification and intervention services, could be integrated in the university curriculum.https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608231216163 |
| spellingShingle | Annette Kaspar PhD Ma’atasesa Samuelu-Matthes MHCL Carlie Driscoll PhD Sione Pifeleti MBBS Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study SAGE Open Nursing |
| title | Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Awareness and Perceptions of University Nursing Students in Samoa Towards Childhood Hearing Impairment and Hearing Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | awareness and perceptions of university nursing students in samoa towards childhood hearing impairment and hearing healthcare a cross sectional study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608231216163 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annettekasparphd awarenessandperceptionsofuniversitynursingstudentsinsamoatowardschildhoodhearingimpairmentandhearinghealthcareacrosssectionalstudy AT maatasesasamuelumatthesmhcl awarenessandperceptionsofuniversitynursingstudentsinsamoatowardschildhoodhearingimpairmentandhearinghealthcareacrosssectionalstudy AT carliedriscollphd awarenessandperceptionsofuniversitynursingstudentsinsamoatowardschildhoodhearingimpairmentandhearinghealthcareacrosssectionalstudy AT sionepifeletimbbs awarenessandperceptionsofuniversitynursingstudentsinsamoatowardschildhoodhearingimpairmentandhearinghealthcareacrosssectionalstudy |