Generic quality of life in persons with hearing loss: a systematic literature review

Abstract

BackgroundTo the best of our knowledge, no empirically based consensus has been reached as to if, and to what extent, persons with hearing loss (HL) have reduced generic Quality of life (QoL). There seems to be limited knowledge regarding to what extent a hearing aid (HA) would improve QoL. The main aim of the present study was to review studies about the relationship between HL and QoL. A supporting aim was to study the association between distress and HL.MethodsLiterature databases (Cinahl, Pub Med and Web of Science) were searched to identify relevant journal articles published in the period from January 2000 to March 17, 2016. We performed a primary search pertaining to the relationship between HL, HA and QoL (search number one) followed by a supporting search pertaining to the relationship between distress/mood/anxiety and HL (search number two). After checking for duplications and screening the titles of the papers, we read the abstracts of the remaining papers. The most relevant papers were read thoroughly, leaving us with the journal articles that met the inclusion criteria.ResultsTwenty journal articles were included in the present review: 13 were found in the primary search (HL and QoL), and seven in the supporting search (HL and distress). The literature yields equivocal findings regarding the association between generic QoL and HL. A strong association between distress and HL was shown, where distressed persons tend to have a lowered generic QoL. It is suggested that QoL is lowered among HL patients. Some studies suggest an increased generic QoL following the use of HA, especially during the first few months after initiation of treatment. Other studies suggest that HA use is one of several possible factors that contribute to improve generic QoL.ConclusionsThe majority of the studies suggest that HL is associated with reduced generic QoL. Using hearing aids seem to improve general QoL at follow-up within the first year. HL is a risk factor for distress. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between HL and generic QoL, in addition to the importance of influencing variables on this relationship.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12901-018-0051-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Impact and Cost-effectiveness Evaluation of a Community-based Rehabilitative Intervention on Quality of Life Among Chinese Adults With Hearing Loss: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The quality of life affects individuals' physical health, psychological experience and social relations [25].…”

“…Given the high prevalence of hearing loss and low accessibility of hearing aids, it is imperative to conduct high-quality studies to gure out the e cacy of wearing hearing aids. Systematic reviews on hearing and quality of life have found that a majority of previous studies were cross-sectional studies and only a few were conducted in developing countries [25,26]. Most studies agree that hearing aids use raises quality of life, such as improving social function in Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) [27], reducing risk of anxiety and depression in EuroQoL 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) [28].…”

Kinesiophobia in Hearing Loss

“…Progression in hearing loss cannot be remediated; therefore, optimal management of this condition not only requires early recognition and rehabilitation, but it also should include an evaluation of QoL status and its assessment [19][20][21][22] . According to the study by patients reporting hearing loss shows weak correlation each other, so we need new scales to asses the subjects with hearing loss 24 . In our study, kinesiophobia was significantly correlated with physical health score and hearing frequencies in study group.…”

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“…The impact of hearing loss is often multifactorial and not isolated to reduced hearing and increased listening effort. For example, it can negatively impact on the ability to communicate, which amplifies social isolation, and can lead to relationship difficulties and reduced well-being [2, 3]. In addition, the presence of uncorrected hearing loss increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia [4, 5].…”