title: Health-related quality of life in adults with hearing impairment before and after hearing-aid rehabilitation in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults with hearing impairment in Finland before and after hearing rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was prospective with hearing-aid rehabilitation as the intervention. The data was collected, using the 15D instrument, before and six months after hearing-aid rehabilitation. The data was analysed using t-tests and multiple linear regression methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study sample included 949 adults with hearing impairment, and the control group included a sample of age- and gender-standardized general population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study population had significantly poorer HRQoL on most dimensions of the 15D when compared to the control group both before and after hearing-aid rehabilitation. Hearing-aid rehabilitation resulted in improved mean scores on the dimensions of hearing and in the overall 15D score that were statistically significant, although the mean improvement in the overall score was marginal. Self-reported hearing ability can better predict the change in HRQoL, as a result of a hearing aid, when compared with measured hearing sensitivity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study supports the hypothesis that on average, use of a unilateral hearing aid results in improved subjective hearing and marginal improvement in HRQoL in adults with hearing impairment.
authors.affiliation: a * Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , Helsinki University Central Hospital , Finland.
authors.forename: Riina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Niemensivu
authors.affiliation: b Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences , Lamar University , Beaumont, Texas , USA.|c The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.|d Audiology India , Mysore , India.
authors.forename: Vinaya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manchaiah
authors.affiliation: e Group Administration, Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, and University of Eastern Finland , Kuopio , Finland.
authors.forename: Risto P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Roine
authors.affiliation: a * Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , Helsinki University Central Hospital , Finland.
authors.forename: Erna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kentala
authors.affiliation: f Department of Public Health , University of Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Harri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sintonen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D012048:Correction of Hearing Impairment / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006304:Health Status; D006310:Hearing Aids / Q000523:psychology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: 15D; Hearing loss; health-related quality of life; hearing aid; quality of life