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Objectives Synthesise literature related to perceptions of hearing loss and hearing technology (hearing aids, cochlear implants) among the general public and healthcare providers who do not specialise in ear and hearing care.Design Scoping review.Data sources We searched three databases (PubMed, Scopus, Ovid Medline) in August 2023 for peer-reviewed articles from inception to 2023.Eligibility criteria Peer-reviewed articles or grey literature published in English or Spanish and that were observational or mixed methods were eligible for inclusion. Studies were included if they presented results from original research focused on perceptions of hearing loss and/or hearing technology among the general public and/or healthcare providers who do not specialise in ear and hearing care.Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers extracted and verified study data, which are synthesised in tables and in the text.Results Twenty-nine peer-reviewed articles were included, 21 of which focused on samples of the general public and 8 on samples of healthcare providers. Perceptions about persons with hearing loss and the use of hearing technology are varied but often negative. The general public and healthcare providers often perceive hearing loss as less serious than other health conditions, including other sensory impairments. In many settings worldwide, the perception that non-biomedical factors, such as curses or evil spirits, can cause hearing loss is common. Importantly, studies showed training that aimed to raise awareness about hearing loss might improve negative or inaccurate perceptions of hearing loss and hearing technology.Conclusions Perceptions of hearing loss and hearing technology are varied but often misinformed and negative. Such information could inform initiatives to raise awareness and change behaviours guided by those perceptions. Ultimately, changing the public’s and healthcare providers’ perceptions of hearing loss could encourage individuals with hearing loss to seek hearing care in a timely and appropriate manner.

Hearing loss is an important global public health issue which can be alleviated through treatment with hearing aids. However, most people who would benefit from hearing aids do not receive them, in part due to challenges in accessing hearing aids and related services, which are most salient in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and other resource-limited settings. Innovative approaches for hearing aid service delivery can overcome many of the challenges related to access, including that of limited human resources trained to provide ear and hearing care. The purpose of this systematic scoping review is to synthesize evidence on service delivery approaches for hearing aid provision in LMIC and resource-limited settings. We searched 3 databases (PubMed, Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE) for peer-reviewed articles from 2000 to 2022 that focused on service delivery approaches related to hearing aids in LMIC or resource-limited settings. Fifteen peer-reviewed articles were included, which described hospital-based (3 studies), large-scale donation program (1 studies), community-based (7 studies), and remote (telehealth; 4 studies) service delivery approaches. Key findings are that hearing aid services can be successfully delivered in hospital- and community-based settings, and remotely, and that both qualified hearing care providers and trained non-specialists can provide quality hearing aid services. Service delivery approaches focused on community-based and remote care, and task sharing among qualified hearing care providers and trained non-specialists can likely improve access to hearing aids worldwide, thereby reducing the burden of untreated hearing loss.