title: Higher social distress and lower psycho-social wellbeing: examining the coping capacity and health of people with hearing impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this paper are as follows: (1) propose an explanatory model as to how hearing disability may impact on health and (2) examine the model's utility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected on the psycho-social wellbeing, disability and physical health of farmers (n = 56) participating in an intervention to manage the social impacts of hearing disability. Two models were proposed and examined using multiple hierarchical linear regression. Model 1 used self-rated quality of life and model 2 used capacity to manage hearing and listening impairments, as dependent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analyses found that physical measures of hearing impairment (audiograms) were not correlated with physical or mental health outcomes. However, in model 1, self-confidence and self-rated ability to manage hearing impairment were most closely associated with reduced quality of life (anxiety and diastolic blood pressure were positively associated with quality of life). In model 2, higher anxiety and reduced self-confidence were associated with decreasing ability to successfully manage one's hearing impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings support the explanatory model that stress is higher and wellbeing lower when the fit between the person's coping capacity and environmental demands is poor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper demonstrates that anxiety is associated with coping with the psycho-social aspects of hearing disability. This finding has important implications for the many hearing services, which only provide assessment and devices. To negate anxiety and its long-term impacts, rehabilitation providers need to ensure people with hearing disability have the capacity to manage the psycho-social aspects of communication breakdown.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia .
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hogan
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory , Australia .
authors.forename: Rebecca L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: b School of Medicine, Deakin University , Victoria , Australia .|c National Centre for Farmer Health, Western District Health Service , Victoria , Australia , and.
authors.forename: Susan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Brumby
authors.affiliation: d National Acoustic Laboratories, Australian Hearing , New South Wales , Australia.
authors.forename: Warwick
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: c National Centre for Farmer Health, Western District Health Service , Victoria , Australia , and.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mercer-Grant
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological
keywords: Coping; health; hearing; quality of life; wellbeing