Assessing high schoolers' interest in audiology and their views on diversity in healthcare

Abstract

Presented to the 21st Annual Symposium on Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) held at the Rhatigan Student Center, Wichita State University, April 11, 2025.Research completed in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Health Professions.INTRODUCTION: Audiologists are trained to diagnose hearing and balance disorders and often treat them through the use of amplification systems (e.g., hearing aids or cochlear implants) and vestibular rehabilitation. The audiology profession is projected to grow 11% in the next ten years, which is much faster than the average occupation (4%). Previous studies have indicated that the majority of high school students do not know what an audiologist does, thus hindering the influx of higher education students pursuing this degree. Additionally, only 9% of the profession is made of people of color. Studies have shown that, at least for their physicians, people tend to prefer that their doctors have the same racial/ethnic background as them. The field of audiology’s current demographics are not concordant with the diversity of our country, which may be due to various barriers to pursuing higher education that impede students of color from entering the profession. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate high school students’ knowledge and perceptions of audiology before and after experiencing a presentation and simulation, to seek their opinions on the importance of diversity in healthcare, and to identify potential barriers to pursuing a graduate degree. METHODS: Four groups of high school juniors and seniors (n=75) enrolled in healthcare-related courses, all from racially diverse public high schools (between 63-84% minority), were given a presentation on audiology and were able to experience different audiological tests. These tests included tympanometry, video otoscopy, and the modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance (CTSIB-M). Data from pre- and post-questionnaires were analyzed using MANOVAs, Welch’s T-Tests, and Chi-Square tests via IBM’s SPSS software. RESULTS: Responses from the surveys showed that students were more interested in entering the field of audiology after they had experienced the presentation and simulation (p<.001). Eighty-five percent of high school students surveyed indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed that diversity in healthcare is important. When asked if they would pursue a career that required a graduate degree, 78% indicated “yes.” Of those who indicated “no” or “I don’t know,” the main reason reported was a desire to enter the workforce sooner or not wanting to be in school for that long (n=6). There were no statistically significant differences in financial class or family graduation status between these students of color and white students, which may be due to the overall economic disadvantage seen in inner-city public schools or the unequal sample sizes. CONCLUSION: Regardless of ethnicity/race, the majority of the students believe that diversity in healthcare is important. This finding is noteworthy because it shows that these high schoolers value different backgrounds, cultures, inputs, and experiences in healthcare provision. Additionally, students who are exposed to audiology in a presentation/simulation format are more likely to have an interest in learning more about the profession and studying it in school.Graduate School, Academic Affairs, University Librarie