29/08/2025
Disability Rights Concerns (OTC)
In the field of disability rights, diagnostic evaluations are crucial for determining appropriate treatment and development plans for persons who have hearing impairments/persons who are persons with hearing disabilities. However, the trend of selling over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices without proper evaluation may raise significant ethical and disability rights concerns:
1. Health professionals are trained to diagnose and treat hearing disorders, not merely sell devices. Bypassing diagnostic evaluations undermines their professional responsibilities.
2. Without a thorough evaluation, patients with moderate to severe hearing loss may receive inappropriate or even harmful devices, delaying proper treatment or exacerbating hearing issues.
3. Patients may not fully understand the implications of OTC hearing devices or the importance of a diagnostic evaluation, potentially leading to uninformed decisions.
4. OTC hearing devices may not be tailored to individual needs, potentially resulting in reduced hearing outcomes and decreased quality of life.
Health professionals and applicable role players in the field of disability should prioritize person-centered care, adhere to professional standards, and ensure comprehensive diagnostic evaluations to provide appropriate treatment and maintain ethical integrity.
Disability legislation, conventions, codes, and guidelines clearly state the persons' right to proper healthcare services, including aural and vocational rehabilitation, assistive devices, habilitation, reasonable accommodation, and more.
Persons who have hearing loss have the right to comprehensive healthcare, rehabilitation and habilitation services, including:
1. Aural rehabilitation: Personalized programs to improve communication skills and address related issues.
2. Hearing aid fitting and adjustment: Professional fitting and adjustment of hearing aids for optimal performance.
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