Factores determinantes del absentismo en las consultas de audiología y trastornos del lenguaje en atención especializada
Estudio transversal en un hospital público español
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51445/sja.auditio.vol10.2026.121Keywords:
Absentismo, audiología, citas médicas, accesibilidad, otorrinolaringologíaAbstract
Introduction. Non-attendance at medical appointments is a phenomenon that affects the efficiency of the healthcare system, increases waiting lists, and negatively impacts the quality of medical care.
In the field of audiology, this issue has been scarcely investigated.
Objective. To analyze the profile of patients who miss their audiology and language disorder appointments at the Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) Department of Health Area 22 in Torrevieja, and to explore the reasons for their non-attendance.
Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2024. Sociodemographic and organizational variables were analyzed in patients with ENT-related diagnoses involving hearing and language disorders. Telephone interviews were conducted with a representative sample of patients who did not attend their appointments to explore the reasons for non-attendance.
Results. The non-attendance rate for audiology consultations was 8.9%. Factors significantly associated with non-attendance included age under 65 years, being born outside of Spain, and follow-up (as opposed to first-time) appointments. A total of 41% of reported reasons for non-attendance were potentially avoidable, the most common being forgetfulness, administrative errors, and failures in communication with the healthcare system.
Conclusions. Non-attendance in audiology is influenced by sociodemographic and organizational factors. Identifying risk profiles and understanding the real reasons for non-attendance would allow the design of targeted strategies to improve healthcare system accessibility and efficiency.
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