Section: 
Science articles
Science articlesThe assessment of life quality and mental health in adult patients with acquired unilateral hearing loss
Ya. L. Shcherbakova (1), S. M. Megrelishvili (1), V. E. Kuzovkov (1), S. A. Karpishchenko (1)
(1) Saint Petersburg Research Institute of Ear, Throat, Nose and Speech, Saint Petersburg, 190013, Russia
UDK: 616.282.95+616.831]-008.918-072.7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18692/1810-4800-2019-6-74-78
ABSTRACT
Unilateral hearing loss is a condition characterized by hearing loss in one ear and normal hearing thresholds in the contralateral one. For a long time, it was deemed that the patients with unilateral hearing loss did not need any rehabilitation activity aimed at bilateral hearing restoration. However, the patients with unilateral hearing loss have difficulties with perception in noisy environment and with sound localization, they suffer from tinnitus in the affected ear, and are dissatisfied with the life quality associated with the impairment of the hearing system function. The objective of the study is to assess the impact of acquired unilateral hearing loss on the mental health and life quality of this group of patients. According to the objective, two main groups were formed: a group of patients with unilateral hearing loss (n = 12) and a control group of patients with normal hearing (n = 12). Different questionnaires (PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSQ, HHIA) were used to assess mental health and life quality. Following the study, it was detected that the patients with unilateral hearing loss had a high level of stress and anxiety, they suffered from depression of various levels and were not satisfied with life quality in general.
Publication date:
11.12.2019
Keywords:
unilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, life quality, mental health. For citation:
Shcherbakova Ya. L., Megrelishvili S. M., Kuzovkov V. E., Karpishchenko S. A. The assessment of life quality and mental health in adult patients with acquired unilateral hearing loss. Rossiiskaya otorinolaringologiya. 2019;18(6):74–78. https://doi.org/10.18692/1810-4800-2019-6-74-78