A proposal for a model to calculate hearing disability

The present paper presents an alternative method to calculate hearing disability. As opposed to existing models to calculate hearing disability, the present method is not just based on the pure-tone audiogram. Hearing activities playing an important role in daily listening are taken into account: detection of sounds, distinction of sounds, intelligibility in quiet and in noise, auditory localization. Psycho-acoustical tests to measure each of these activities are described. Test scores are used to calculate overall hearing disability. A comparison is made between the present model and the method of the American Medical Association (AMA). Calculations are based on theoretical cases only. Further study has to be undertaken to verify the calculations by examining the scores of real cases to improve the validity and internal consistency of the present model

Occupational performance: Comparing normally-hearing and hearing-impaired employees using the Amsterdam Checklist for Hearing and Work

This study compares the occupational performance of employees with and without hearing impairment, and aims to identify occupational difficulties specifically related to hearing loss. The Amsterdam Checklist for Hearing and Work was administered to 150 hearing-impaired employees and 60 normally-hearing colleagues. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed to test group effects, and to examine differences between means. Factors predicting sick-leave were identified by regression analyses. A significant group effect (p <0.01) was found. Hearing-impaired employees differed from normally-hearing colleagues in their perception of 'environmental noise', 'job control' and the 'necessity to use hearing activities' at work. Also, sick-leave due to distress occurred significantly more often in the hearing impaired group (p <0.05). 'Hearing impairment', 'job demand', and the requirement to 'recognize/distinguish between sounds' were the strongest risk-factors for stress related sick-leave. The importance of hearing functions besides speech communication is discussed. Implications for rehabilitation are suggested. In future research, hearing loss should be considered as a risk factor for fatigue and mental distress which may lead to sick-leave

Factors in subjective hearing disability

This report describes an approach to identify different factors in hearing disability. On the basis of interviews and case studies, the Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap was developed. It consists of 30 questions, dealing with a variety of everyday listening situations. Reports of 274 hearing-impaired subjects are presented. Item and factor analysis on the questions resulted in five factors, interpreted as five basic auditory disabilities: distinction of sounds, intelligibility in noise, auditory localization, intelligibility in quiet and detection of sounds. Investigation of one excluded item showed that 'intolerance of noise' may be a sixth aspect

The relationships between self-reported hearing disability and measures of auditory disability

Although required for many practical purposes, adequate measures of hearing disability are not yet available. In an attempt to identify a set of performance tests for predicting hearing disability in daily life the relationship between self-reported disability scores and measures of auditory disability was examined. The Amsterdam Inventory was completed by 51 respondents aged 30 to 70 years who also performed on various tests. Earlier factor analysis of the inventory scores resulted in the distinction of five aspects of auditory disability. Stepwise multiple regression analysis in the present study shows that the tests describe and differentiate quite well between these five aspects. Multiple correlation coefficients range from R=0.60 to R=0 74

Assessing aspects of auditory handicap by means of pupil dilatation

The demand on extra effort and concentration during listening are notorious handicapping effects of hearing impairment as is shown by self-assessment studies. In an attempt to explore new ways of assessing hearing handicap, the present study focuses on an objective measure of mental effort during listening. Pupil dilatation is used as the index of mental effort. Results for 14 hearing-impaired and 14 normal hearing listeners show a relation between pupil dilatation and difficulty in speech reception in noise, as manipulated by the speech-to-noise ratio. In addition the study shows that, with regard to effort and concentration, hearing-impaired subjects benefit less than normals from easier listening situations (e.g. at 5 dB above the individual speech-reception threshold). The results show a significant correlation between self-rated handicap and pupil dilatation

The self-reported handicapping effect of hearing disabilities

This study investigates the extent to which individuals see themselves as being handicapped by a hearing disability. Self-reports were obtained with the Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap which distinguishes five basic disabilities: intelligibility in noise, intelligibility in quiet, localization of sounds, distinction of sounds and detection of sounds. Responses of 239 hearing-impaired people with varying types of hearing loss have been examined. The occurrence of the five disabilities in the population as well as the self-reported limiting and annoying effect per disability has been examined. This study shows that the handicapping effects of the disabilities do not have equal weights. Handicap resulting from the inability to understand speech in noise is most strongly felt. This paper argues that the type of disability jointly determines the severity of a person's handicap