BIOSKETCH Dr Sphilile Mbhele is an Audiologist by qualification who obtained a Bachelor of Communication Pathology (Audiology) and a Master of Audiology degree from the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal. She later obtained a PhD University of Cape Town. She has served at the Department of Health as a clinical Audiologist from the year 2018 to April 2020. She also served as a Vice-president of the KZN SLT/A provincial Forum (2019- 2020). She is presently a lecturer at the University of Kwa Zulu-Natal Audiology department, involved in the teaching of vestibular assessment and management, paediatric audiology clinical practice as well as audiological principles and practices for speech therapists. She also supervises undergraduate and post-graduate research projects. Currently, she serves as a member of the KwaZulu-Natal Auditory Implant Programme (KZNAIP) and is part of the SACIG Vestibular Task team.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Assessment and management of vestibular disorders
Audiological and vestibular disorders in children
Public Health: Fall prevention in the elderly
Ototoxicity and vestibulotoxicity
Aural rehabilitation
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
Mbhele, S., & Makhoba, M. (2022). Audiologists’ phenomenographic experiences of professional development during community service in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. South African Journal of Communication Disorders, 69(1), a844. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajcd.v69i1.844
Mbhele, S., Rogers, C., Rea, P., Arshad, Q. & Saman, Y. (2024). Bárány Society Meeting Scientific Abstracts. Journal of Vestibular Research. 34(5-6): 342. doi:10.1177/09574271241295853.
Mbhele, S., Rogers, C. & Saman, Y. Clinical balance assessment tools for children with hearing loss: a scoping review. BMC Pediatr 25, 218 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05563-2
Khoza-Shangase Katijah, Gina Ayanda, Mbhele Sphilile (2026). Towards Policy Integration of Vestibular Management in Pediatric Hearing Health Care: Global Service Delivery Gaps with Relevance to Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology. 00: 1- 18. DOI: 10.3766/jaaa.25009
