The Stigma of Hearing Loss: A Scoping Review of the Literature Across Age and Gender

Abstract

Objective: Stigma is a human construct that guides community standards and opinions, often characterized by negative beliefs about a particular circumstance, quality, or person. This study reviews the literature for stigma related to hearing loss and hearing device use. Data Sources: PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Review Methods: Databases were searched from inception to April 28, 2024. Two independent researchers screened articles and performed full-text reviews. Grounded theory was used to identify and analyze positive and negative themes across disparate qualitative data. Results: After screening 1096 abstracts, 45 full-texts and 4 conference abstracts were included including 17 studies in pediatric populations, 19 studies in adults of working age, and 14 studies in older adult populations. In pediatric populations, stigma is primarily tied to bullying and poor classmate perceptions, with school-based supports offering mixed results in minimizing perceived stigma. Among working and older age adults, common positive themes included improved quality of life and self-empowerment among hearing aid (HA) users. All working age studies refer to the role of HAs in creating a visible disability. The pervasive theme among older adults was being perceived as old or senile. Although studies were largely equal in gender representation, differential gender effects of stigma and HA decisions were identified. Conclusion: Hearing loss stigma appears to be pervasive across age and gender with distinctions that have implications for intervention development. Future studies are needed to parse further nuances related to the stigma of hearing loss.