Document Type

Capstone Project

Publication Date

Fall 2026

First Advisor

Antony Joseph, MA, Au.D., Ph.D., ABAC, CCC-A, CPS/A, F-NAP

Keywords

service-learning, cultural immersion, experiential learning, global hearing health, Caribbean audiology, sustainability, graduate education, study abroad

Disciplines

Speech Pathology and Audiology

Abstract

Access to audiology care is essential, as unmanaged hearing loss carries significant communicative, social, and health consequences. Across many Caribbean nations, access to audiologic care remains limited, with substantial variation in workforce, diagnostic services, hearing-health infrastructure, and system readiness. The Caribbean Audiology Research Project (CARP), established by the Hearing Loss Prevention Laboratory, characterized hearing-health capacity across eight Caribbean countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and The Bahamas. Publicly available data on the audiology workforce, healthcare infrastructure, diagnostic and rehabilitative services, public-health programs, demographic indicators, and logistical factors were systematically collected, and composite Service Capacity and System Readiness indices were developed to allow country-level comparisons. Findings revealed substantial disparities, including five countries without a resident audiologist and no vestibular testing available anywhere in the region, while cochlear implant and comprehensive diagnostic services were available only in Barbados and The Bahamas. Although screening programs reached 83% of the regional population, follow-up diagnostic and rehabilitative care varied widely. These results demonstrate that Caribbean nations should not be viewed as a homogeneous region. A framework is outlined that integrates hearing-health need, workforce and infrastructure capacity, partnership potential, cultural context, and logistical feasibility to guide evidence-based and ethically informed selection of audiology study-abroad and service-learning destinations. Nations with the greatest unmet need may benefit most from service-learning engagement, while those with greater capacity may serve as regional hubs for mentorship, tele-audiology, and referral networks.

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