Illness perceptions and hearing difficulties in King-Kopetzky syndrome: what determines help seeking?
The present study explored illness perceptions of hearing difficulties amongst one hundred participants who reported experiencing hearing difficulties despite normal audiometric thresholds. This experience is referred to as King-Kopetzky syndrome (KKS), obscure auditory dysfunction (OAD), or auditory processing disorder (APD). Logistic regression was used to consider the associations between help-seeking and a range of audiological and illness perception measures. Results indicate that help-seekers present with poorer speech in noise thresholds than non help-seekers, and that coherent illness perceptions and a negative belief in the consequences of hearing difficulties are associated with help-seeking status, regardless of hearing sensitivity.
Pryce
Helen
H
Centre for Hearing and Balance Studies, University of Bristol, UK. Helen.pryce@bris.ac.uk
Metcalfe
Chris
C
Hall
Amanda
A
Claire
Lindsay St
LS
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001299:Audiometry; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010465:Perception; D013067:Speech Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome