Perceived disability in children and adults with single sided deafness at two tertiary institutions
Background: Single-sided deafness is defined as a severe-to-profound hearing loss in one ear and normal or near-normal hearing in the other ear. The handicap experienced by patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is well known, but the consequences of single-sided deafness are often underestimated based on the assumption that a person with normal hearing in the contralateral ear is not likely to face a major handicap. Objectives: To determine the handicap level in patients with single-sided deafness, and compare the handicap between employed and unemployed patients. Also, to investigate the relationship between perceived disability and noise in the workplace. The effect of age and duration of hearing loss on the perceived disability of single-sided deafness was also examined. Methods: Two validated questionnaires (1) Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ12); and (2) Hearing Handicap Inventory for adults (HHIA) were handed to participants with SSD. This research was conducted in two tertiary hospitals in Cape Town, namely, Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, over the period from November 2018 to August 2020. Results: Fifty-four participants were included in the study, 44 adults and 10 children. Employing the HHIA questionnaire, the results show that 39% of adult participants have a significant handicap compared to 32% who have a moderate handicap and 30% who have no handicap. Also, there was no significant difference in the total handicap scores between the employed and unemployed groups, and the presence of noise in the workplace did not influence the total handicap score in the employed group. There was no influence on age or duration of hearing loss on the total handicap score. The mean of the responses in the SSQ12 questionnaire was between 3.42 and 7; thus, some participants experience major hearing difficulties, while others have minor difficulties. Most of the participants are struggling to follow a conversation with background noise and have difficulty localizing sounds. They also struggle to identify the sound distance. They report increased effort when listening to someone or something. Conclusions: A majority of the patients with single-sided deafness in our population either have a severe or a mild-moderate handicap. A good assessment of the individual's degree of handicap is required to adequately counsel the patient and assist in the decision regarding treatment options.
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