A Systematic Review of Interventions to Reduce the Effects of Cognitive Biases in the Decision-Making of Audiologists

Background: Audiologists are constantly making decisions that are key to optimizing client/patient outcomes, and these decisions may be vulnerable to cognitive biases. Purpose: The purpose was to determine the present state of knowledge within the field of audiology regarding the potential impact of cognitive biases on clinical decision-making and the use of interventions to reduce such impact. Research Design: A systematic review was conducted to identify and consider the outcomes of all studies in which an intervention, strategy, or procedure was implemented with the aim of reducing the impact of cognitive biases on the decision-making of audiologists. Data Collection: The review was part of a larger scale search which included the broader disciplines of health science and medicine. Electronic database searches were supplemented by citation searches of relevant reviews and a gray literature search. Following title and abstract screening, 201 full-text studies were considered for inclusion. Results: No studies were found which fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Conclusions: Despite initial calls to respond to these types of cognitive biases being made three decades ago, no peer-reviewed scientific studies testing strategies to reduce the impact of cognitive biases on the decision-making of audiologists were found. There is a clear need for a more concerted research effort in this area if audiologists are to consistently deliver truly evidence-based care.