The impact of hearing loss on the quality of life in adults

Abstract

The hearing apparatus is one of the most important factors related to the development of oral communication. Thus, hearing disorders and deafness lead to severe handicap. Hearing impairment in adults cause verbal communication disorders that influence psychical, emotional and social functioning. Nowadays, there is a noticeable world tendency towards improving hard of hearing person's quality of life. Objective was to assess the association between hearing impairment and health-related quality of life. A hundred adults with billateral hearing impairment underwent hearing examination and answered the Hering Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening (HHIE-S, Ventry and Weinstein), specific for hearing impairment. Almost half of all participants (44%) had a moderate hearing loss, and 36% had a mild loss. Infrequently, participants had a severe degree of hearing loss (13%) and deafness (7%). Self reported hearing handicap revealed significant emotional, social and situational dysfunctions (chi2 = 40.960; df = 1; p < 0.01). Severity of hearing loss was significantly correlated with hearing handicap (r = 0.212; p < 0.05). More often, participants revealed social and situational than emotional hearing handicap (Chi2 = 131.89; df = 100; p < 0.05). Only 12% of all participants habitually used hearing aids, and they observed a significantly better quality of life scores (chi2 = 6.23; df = 1; p < 0.05). Health-related quality of life must be estimated as a factor of great importance. Investigations should involve a more extansive population with hearing loss and a national programme should be started.