Authors
- Vivek Kumar JhaProfessor (Speech Pathology and Audiology), Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth Deemed to be University, Vadodara, Gujarat.
- Puneet KapoorAssistant Professor (Speech Pathology and Audiology), Department of ENT, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (MMIMSR), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22376/ijpbs/lpr.2022.12.6.L65-71Keywords:
Hearing loss (HL), MHCL Scale, Pure tone Audiometry (PTA), Mental health, Elderly Couples, Air conduction threshold, Bone conduction thresholdAbstract
Communication is one of the important way to express and share the ideas and feeling. For effective communication, hearing plays an important role. A person having problem with hearing have difficulty in day to day life, which create several misunderstandings. This study, emphasizes how hearing loss can create poor mental health for an individual or partners. This study was conducted to determine the mental health of elderly couples having hearing impairment. The need of the study is to detect the association between hearing loss and mental health. To carry out the study, the subjects were tested (Audiological Evaluation) and the mental health checklist (MHCL) was used. The audiological assessment consisted of pure tonal audiometry (PTA), carried out in a sound-treated room, air conduction (from 250 Hz to 8000 Hz), and the bone conduction threshold (500 Hz to 4000 Hz) conduction hearing threshold calculation using the Alps 2000 AD brand audiometer. With the help of IBMSPSS( Version-21) software, statistical analysis was used. For statistical analysis, the Pearson correlation was used. However, the gravity of the signs of change was shown to be positive. The result showed the main effect of group (i.e., individual with hearing impairment with hearing aids, hearing impairment or normal hearing, was found to be significant (p<0.001) on mental health score. The results also showed that the mental health of individuals with hearing impairment was significantly poorer than normal hearing, hearing impairment with hearing aid was also significantly poorer than normal. Whereas, the mental health of hearing impairment was found to be worse than hearing impairment with hearing aids. Mental health of partners with hearing impairment was significantly poorer than normal hearing, hearing impairment with hearing aid was also significantly poorer than normal. Whereas, the mental health of hearing impairment was found to be worse than hearing impairment with hearing aids. In Conclusion higher the degree of hearing loss, the more severe the mental health symptom. The result showed that, the main effect of the group, i.e., individuals with hearing impairment with hearing aids, hearing impairment, or normal hearing, was found to be significant (p<0.001 on marital adjustment score.
References
World Health Organization, Dept. of Mental Health, Substance Abuse Staff, World Health Organization. Substance Abuse Department, World Health Organization. Department of Mental Health, Substance Abuse. Global status report on alcohol 2004. World Health Organization; 2004.
West JS. Hearing impairment and mental health among married couples. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B. 2021 May;76(5):933-43.
Sun J, Li H, Jin L, Luo H. Does Hearing Impairment Affect Mental Health Among Chinese Older Adults? Evidence from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy. 2021; 14:629.
Shoham N, Lewis G, Favarato G, Cooper C. Prevalence of anxiety disorders and symptoms in people with hearing impairment: a systematic review. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology. 2019 Jun;54(6):649-60.
Shin HY, Hwang HJ. Mental health of the people with hearing impairment in Korea: A population-based cross-sectional study. Korean journal of family medicine. 2017 Mar;38(2):57.
Gentili N, Holwell A. Mental health in children with severe hearing impairment. Advances in psychiatric treatment. 2011 Jan;17(1):54-62.
Scarinci N, Worrall L, Hickson L. The effect of hearing impairment in older people on the spouse. International journal of audiology. 2008 Jan 1;47(3):141-51.
Chia EM, Wang JJ, Rochtchina E, Cumming RR, Newall P, Mitchell P. Hearing impairment and health-related quality of life: the Blue Mountains Hearing Study. Ear and hearing. 2007 Apr 1;28(2):187-195.
Kvam MH, Loeb M, Tambs K. Mental health in deaf adults: symptoms of anxiety and depression among hearing and deaf individuals. The Journal of deaf studies and deaf education. 2007 Jan 1;12(1):1-7.
Ask H, Krog NH, Tambs K. Impact of hearing impairment on spousal mental health: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study. European journal of public health. 2010 Jun 1;20(3):271-5.
Wallhagen, M. I., Strawbridge, W. J., Shema, S. J., & Kaplan, G. A. (2004). Impact of self-assessed hearing loss on a spouse: A longitudinal analysis of couples. The Journal of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 59(3), 190-196.
Donaldson, N., Worrall, L., & Hickson, L. (2004). Older people with hearing impairment: A literature review of the spouse’s perspective. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Audiology, The, 26(1), 30.
Morgan A, Hickson L, Worrall L. The impact of hearing impairment on quality of life of older people. Asia Pacific Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing. 2002 Jan 1;7(1):39-53.
Kramer, S. E., Kapteyn, T. S., Kuik, D. J., & Deeg, D. J. (2002). The association of hearing impairment and chronic diseases with psychosocial health status in older age. Journal of aging and health, 14(1), 122-137.
