title: The quality of life in hearing impaired adolescents after hearing aid application.
abstract: Hearing impairment in adolescents is a major public health problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) deafness and hearing impairment are common health problems throughout the world. Hearing impairment generally impairs emotional, social, communication and educational function. The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between duration of hearing aid use and improvements in the quality of life. The cross sectional study was conducted at Jalan Peel Primary Special School and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center (UKMMC) from July 2010 until June 2011. A total of 21 students with hearing impairment involved in this study with mean age of 12.57 (10 to 19 years old). The subjects were divided into 2 groups: first-time hearing aid users and long standing hearing aid users. The hearing assessment was conducted in the first group and hearing aids were fitted. After 1 month hearing aid fitting, the questionnaires were distributed to both groups. Statistical analysis had showed no relation (p>0.05) between duration of hearing aid use and the improvement in the quality of life. However, regardless of the duration of hearing aid usage, there was improvement in the quality of life as shown by the scores of the questionnaires. In conclusion there was no significant relation between duration of hearing aid use and the improvement in the quality of life. Hearing aids were beneficial for hearing loss students regardless of the duration of the hearing aid usage.
authors.affiliation: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Department of ENT, UKMMC, Jalan Yaacob Latiff, 56000, Bandar Tun Razak, Cheras , Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia. asmaent@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Saiyidi Mohd Azizi Bin Mohd
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Adibi
authors.forename: New Ru
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nor Aida
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Azmir
authors.forename: Norliana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Solahan
authors.forename: Aniza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Azida Zainal
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Anuar
authors.forename: Asma binti
authors.initials: Ab
authors.lastname: Abdullah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires