P-3-14-04
HEARING DISABILITY AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQL) WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO JOB STATUS
Agneta Grimby, Anders Ringdahl, Ulla Lignell, Solveig Simonsson (Goeteborg University, Goeteborg, Sweden)
Purpose: To investigate and describe hearing impairment among urban citizens in relation to quality of life and bio-psycho-social background factors. To pay special attention to hearing impaired individuals at work.
Study hypotheses: According to the O-hypothesis no difference in HRQL exists between hearing impaired adults and controls without the impairment. It is also suggested that hearing impaired subjects report equally high HRQL regardless of being employed or not.
Subjects: 311 hearing impaired adult male and female citizens of Goeteborg, Sweden.
Methods: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) was measured according to the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) by a psychologist, who also collected data on self-esteem, freedom from anxiety and psychosomatic disorders. Physical health and hearing impairment were assessed by a physician and an audiologist. Social background factors were collected by a social worker.
Results: Hearing impaired adults had a significantly lowered HRQL compared with hearing adult subjects within the dimensions of energy, social isolation and emotional disturbances. However, in the subsample of working persons with hearing impairment the HRQL did not differ from that of the controls. This subsample demonstrated high self-esteem, low level of worry and anxiety and made little psychosomatic complaints.
Conclusion: Hearing impaired subjects constitute a clear risk group for pshycosocial distress and should therefore be object to extended support and rehabilitation. As being able to work seems to be important to well-being, screening methods for the prerequisites for work should be developed.
P-3-14-05
LIFE ACTIVITY LIMITATIONS IN THE POPULATION WITH LARYNX DISEASES DAMAGED BY THE CHERNOBYL DISASTER
I.I.Krushevskaya, E.I.Zborovsky, Zh.V.Kazatchenok, (BKIWCD, Minsk, Republic of Belarus)
T.Ludemann, H.Janzik, (Goedeshoehe, Bonn, Germany)
Aim: To study life activity limitations in the inhabitants of the regions of the Republic of Belarus damaged by the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, on the contingent of people with larynx diseases that were leading to disturbances of phonational, respiratory and deglutive functions, to a loss of working capacity and professional aptness.
Methods: The study included 375 people with larynx diseases from the regions indicated above (out of them 125 females, 250 males, aged 20 to 65 years). The following tests were used: dynamic neuropsychological tests; instrumental test results (REG, EEG, EMG, SSIP); phoniatric methods: videolaringostroboscopy, microlaringostroboscopy, phonetography, rhinomanometry.
Results: The analysis enabled us to identify 1) the interrelation between phoniatric aspects of disorders of phonational larynx apparatus functions with vegetational and cerebrovascular disorders; 2) to elaborate an experimental mathematic model of indexing the vocal range which helps examine the expressiveness of vocal and speech disorders; 3) to identify the importance of central vascular regulation mechanism disorders.
Conclusion: This should be laid into the foundation of individual rehabilitation programs and disability prevention.
