title: Stages of Change Profiles among Adults Experiencing Hearing Difficulties Who Have Not Taken Any Action: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that adults experiencing hearing difficulties who are aware of their difficulties but have not taken any action would fall under contemplation and preparation stages based on the transtheoretical stages-of-change model. The study employed a cross-sectional design. The study was conducted in United Kingdom and 90 participants completed University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA) scale as well as measures of self-reported hearing disability, self-reported anxiety and depression, self-reported hearing disability acceptance, and provided additional demographic details online. As predicted, the results indicate that a high percentage of participants (over 90%) were in the contemplation and preparation stages. No statistically significant differences were observed among groups of stage with highest URICA scores and factors such as: years since hearing disability, self-reported hearing disability, self-reported anxiety and depression, and self-reported hearing disability acceptance. Cluster analysis identified three stages-of-change clusters, which were named as: decision making (53% of sample), participation (28% of sample), and disinterest (19% of sample). Study results support the stages-of-change model. In addition, implications of the current study and areas for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, United States of America; Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Audiology India, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vinaya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manchaiah
authors.affiliation: Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jerker
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rönnberg
authors.affiliation: Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Eriksholm Research Centre, Oticon A/S, 20 Rørtangvej, Snekkersten, Denmark.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lunner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology