Relationships Between Hearing Disability, Quality of Life and Wellbeing in Older Community-Based Australians

Abstract

The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the relationships between measured hearing impairment and self-reported hearing and communication difficulties (i.e., activity limitations, participation restrictions), health-related quality of life and wellbeing in community-based older Australians; and (2) investigate the influence of age, gender, living situation and hearing aid use on these relationships. Data were collected from 178 older people with hearing impairment. Pure-tone audiometry was used to assess hearing impairment and self-report questionnaires were used to assess activity limitations, participation restrictions, health-related quality of life and wellbeing. Results showed a relationship between hearing impairment and activity limitations, participation restrictions and wellbeing. No relationship was found between measured hearing impairment and healthrelated quality of life. However, significant relationships were evident between hearing difficulties in everyday life (activity limitations and participation restrictions) and health-related quality of life. Gender, living situation and hearing aid use influenced these relationships. The results highlight the far-reaching effects of hearing impairment on the lives of older people and the importance of using self-report measures to understand this.

Exploring the Relevance of Items in the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) for Individuals With Hearing Loss

“…To achieve these goals, however, clinicians and researchers need validated instruments to measure the impact of hearing loss on life participation and the subsequent impact of intervention. The purpose of this study was to begin validation of a measure of communicative participation, the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB), for use with individuals with hearing loss.Hearing loss has a significant impact on life roles with both emotional and physical consequences (e.g., Chia et al, 2007;Hickson et al, 2008). The use of patient-reported questionnaires has long been advocated to capture these experiences from the perspective of the person who lives with the condition.…”

“…Hearing loss has a significant impact on life roles with both emotional and physical consequences (e.g., Chia et al, 2007;Hickson et al, 2008). The use of patient-reported questionnaires has long been advocated to capture these experiences from the perspective of the person who lives with the condition.…”

Self-determination theory and hearing rehabilitation: The role of motivation in help-seeking, hearing aid adoption and hearing aid fitting outcomes

“…Communication difficulties in group conversations and in noisy listening environments can be especially challenging for people with hearing impairment (Hickson & Scarinci, 2007). A reduced ability to communicate with others can diminish social interaction and restrict participation in everyday activities (Arlinger, 2003;Hickson et al, 2008), which can negatively affect relationships with others (Scarinci, Worrall, & Hickson, 2012) as well as psychological health (Kramer, Kapteyn, Kuik, & Deeg, 2002).…”

“…Spousal support also is a central theme in accepting hearing impairment. In a qualitative study that explored quality of life and well-being of spouses of hearing impaired people, Scarinci, Worrall and Hickson (2008) found that the partners' acceptance of his/her spouse's hearing impairment reduced the impact of hearing impairment in their everyday lives. This relationship reinforces the importance of relatedness to internalization.…”

“…People whose conversations contain multiple miscommunications may withdraw from participation in conversation (Tye-Murray, Purdy, & Woodworth, 1992;Lind, Hickson, & Erber, 2010). A consequence of perceptions of communication difficulty and reduced participation can be diminished self-image (Lind et al, 2010), and poorer mental health outcomes such as depression (Mener, Betz, Genther, Chen, & Lin, 2013), anxiety (Hogan, Phillips, Brumby, Williams, & Mercer-Grant, 2015), social isolation (Kramer, Kapteyn, Kuik, & Deeg, 2002), reduced well-being (Hickson et al, 2008) and reduced health-related quality of life . Indeed, several participants in the current study described feelings of embarrassment, shame and anxiety resulting from communication difficulties and reduced participation, which led them to seek assistance.…”