Psychosomatic analysis of hearing-impaired patients

Abstract

Psychological acceptance in hearing-impaired patients is investigated by the questionnaire method. Questionnaires were consisted of the items about disability and communication disturbance accompanied by hearing loss and the items about psychological acceptance. We classified hearing loss less than 50 dB as mild hearing loss, from 50 dB to 70 dB as moderate hearing loss and more than 70 dB as profound heraing loss. In ninety patients, forty five suffered from profound hearing loss. Hearing aids were useful to relieve communication disturbance even in patients with profound hearing loss. 22.2% of hearing-impaired patients were suspected that they could not accept their disabilities psychologically. It was not decided whether the more profound hearing loss induced the more difficulty of the psychological acceptance. It was said that denials of their disabilities induced pshycological disorders. We concluded that there must be many patients with hearing loss who need psychological therapies. © 1999, Society of Oto-rhino-laryngology Tokyo. All rights reserved.