Perceived disability in children and adults with single sided deafness at two tertiary institutions
type: CreativeWork
description: 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 c…
abstract: 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 c…
author: Elfallah, Balgeis
keywords: Otorhinolaryngology
date published: 2021
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:23:05Z
provider: University of Cape Town
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Division of Otorhinolaryngology

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/35721