Acquired profound hearing loss: mental health and other characteristics of a large sample.

The study investigated the mental health and other characteristics of people with acquired profound hearing loss (APHL) and contrasted this group with acquired hearing loss (AHL) in general. A survey was completed over the internet by 95 adults and by 27 people who had attended a one-week course of rehabilitation. The latter group completed questionnaires of anxiety and depression, post-traumatic stress, and hearing handicap. The survey covered a wide range of factors associated with the history of hearing loss and evaluated previous contacts with professional services. The data from the two samples were very similar and were combined. The results indicated the existence of sudden and progressive onset groups, reliance on lip-reading, a severe effect of tinnitus, and some support for the conclusion that the psychosocial impact was greater in APHL than in AHL. A subgroup of APHL was severely distressed and handicapped. Respondents valued medical and audiological services but there was little evidence that previous counselling and support had been helpful. Recommendations for rehabilitation are briefly discussed.