Presence Of Hearing Impairment Research Articles

Academic and behavioral limitations and health-related quality of life in school-age survivors of bacterial meningitis

The objectives of this study were to describe health-related quality of life of postmeningitic children and to examine the association between academic and/or behavioral limitations and health-related quality of life. One hundred and eighty-two children (mean age 9.7 years; range 5.3-14.2) were selected randomly from a cohort of 674 school-age children who recovered from non-Haemophilus influenzae type B bacterial meningitis. These children had neither meningitis with 'complex onset', nor prior cognitive or behavioral problems, nor severe disease sequelae. On average 7.4 years after meningitis, they were evaluated using an 'Academic Achievement Test' and their parents filled in the Child Behavior Checklist, the Child Health Questionnaire, and the Health Utilities Index. The long-term incidence of academic and/or behavioral limitations was 32%. Overall health-related quality of life of the postmeningitic children was decreased in comparison with that of a reference population of schoolchildren. The group of postmeningitic children with academic and/or behavioral limitations showed the most marked decrease in quality of life, especially concerning psychosocial health, cognition and family life. The negative effects on quality of life were not significantly influenced by age, gender, causative pathogen, presence of minor neurological impairment, or presence of hearing impairment. In conclusion, health-related quality of life of postmeningitic children is decreased, particularly of those with academic and/or behavioral limitations.

Risk factors for insomnia in community‐dwelling older persons

Background: Aging is associated with changes in both subjective sleep quality and objective sleep patterns. The objectives of this study were to clarify risk factors for sleeping habits and insomnia symptoms in the community‐dwelling older persons.Methods: Study subjects were 1270 (33.5%), of the 3786 community‐dwelling persons aged 65 and older who responded to questionnaires concerning sleep disorders between July and October 2001.Results: Out of 556 men (mean age 73 ± 6.6) and 714 women (75 ± 7.5), 416 persons (32.8%) experienced insomnia. Multiple regression analysis on insomnia showed that significantly independent explanatory variables included gender (female: odds ratio [OR], 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39–2.71), activity status (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.04–2.28), prescription medication (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.25–2.20), presence of visual impairment (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.42–2.42), presence of hearing impairment (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.12–1.95) and depressive symptoms (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.93–3.34). Interaction between the activity status and the depressive symptoms (F = 4.231, P = 0.040) was a significant independent explanatory variable with other risk factors.Conclusion: These results indicate that the aging process per se is not responsible for the increase of insomnia, which is often reported in elderly, but that inactivity, depressive symptoms, and use of prescription medication, visual impairment and hearing impairment were the best predictors of insomnia, the age being insignificant.

Psychological well-being in women with Turner syndrome: Somatic and social correlates

Our aim was to examine possible somatic and social correlates to psychological well-being in adult women with Turner Syndrome (TS), including hormone replacement treatment. Sixty-three women with a diagnosis of TS (mean age, 31.5 years) participated in a cross-sectional study, using interview data, ratings on the Psychological General Well-being (PGWB) Index, and data from medical examinations and medical records. Statistical analysis was performed by bivariate and multivariate analyses. Lack of sex hormones during adult life and the presence of hearing impairment were related to lower psychological well-being, as were higher age at diagnosis, higher age at menarche or induced bleeding, higher chronological age and retrospectively reported difficulties with school subjects. Age at diagnosis and difficulties with school subjects explained 25% of the variation in psychological well-being. This study has identified some correlates to psychological well-being in women with TS, which are important when considering the clinical management of adult women with TS.

Macrothrombocytopenia and progressive deafness is due to a mutation in MYH9.

In 1992, a family with hereditary macrothrombocytopenia and progressive sensorineural hearing impairment without renal dysfunction was described. Recently, mutations in MYH9, a nonmuscle myosin heavy chain, have been found in several forms of hereditary macrothrombocytopenia. The hereditary macrothrombocytopenia and hearing loss in the previously reported family is due to a mutation in MYH9 gene. Genomic DNA was extracted from the affected proband. Mutation screening of all MYH9 coding exons was carried out using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography. Abnormal results were followed by direct sequencing of the exon and comparison of the sequence with the normal MYH9 sequence. The results of denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography suggested a potential sequence alteration in exon 30 of MYH9. Direct sequence analysis of this exon in the affected individual identified a G to A single base pair transition at nucleotide 4270 altering codon 1424. This mutations leads to an amino acid change from aspartate (D) to asparagine (N) in the highly conserved coiled-coil domain. A single base pair transition in MYH9, resulting in an amino acid substitution D1424N, is responsible for macrothrombocytopenia and hearing loss in the kindred under study. The presence of hearing impairment and the absence of renal symptoms, as reported in other families with the same mutation MYH9, further highlights the role of genetic background in expression and modification of the affected phenotype.

A repetição intergeracional e o significado atual da deficiência auditiva

Por meio de um enfoque integrado da visão sistêmica, terapia familiar, abordagem intergeracional e leitura instrumental mítica, o presente estudo buscou compreender a família de um sujeito com deficiência auditiva, reconhecer mitos familiares, bem como estabelecer relações entre estes mitos e o significado atual por ele atribuído a sua deficiência. Para coleta de dados foram utilizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas, as quais foram analisadas qualitativamente. Foram identificados os mitos da união, da deficiência auditiva e da luta pela sobrevivência. A repetição da deficiência auditiva em vários membros da família gerou rigidez das pautas de ajuda e cuidado determinadas pelo mito da união e das fronteiras com o mundo externo. Ao identificar os conteúdos que atravessam intergeracionalmente a família, pôde-se garantir a possibilidade de encontrar novos caminhos para lidar com a deficiência, ampliar a visão do contexto e confirmar a necessidade da participação familiar na reabilitação global do sujeito.