Illness perceptions and hearing difficulties in King-Kopetzky syndrome: What determines help seeking?

Abstract

Abstract

The present study explored illness perceptions of hearing difficulties amongst one hundred participants who reported experiencing hearing difficulties despite normal audiometric thresholds. This experience is referred to as King-Kopetzky syndrome (KKS), obscure auditory dysfunction (OAD), or auditory processing disorder (APD). Logistic regression was used to consider the associations between help-seeking and a range of audiological and illness perception measures. Results indicate that help-seekers present with poorer speech in noise thresholds than non help-seekers, and that coherent illness perceptions and a negative belief in the consequences of hearing difficulties are associated with help-seeking status, regardless of hearing sensitivity.

Sumario

El presente estudio exploró la percepción de la enfermedad y las dificultades auditivas entre cien participantes que reportaron experimentar dificultades auditivas a pesar de umbrales auditivos normales. Esta experiencia se refiere al Síndrome de King-Kopetzky (KKS), una disfunción auditiva oscura (OAD) o un trastorno del procesamiento auditivo (APD). Se utilizó una regresión logística para considerar las asociaciones entre la búsqueda de ayuda y un rango de medidas sobre la percepción audiológica y de la enfermedad. Los resultados indican que los que buscan ayuda se presentan con peores umbrales de lenguaje en ruido que quienes no buscan ayuda, y la coherencia en la percepción de la enfermedad asícomo la creencia negativa sobre las consecuencias de las dificultades auditivas se asocian con la condición de búsqueda de ayuda, sin importar la sensibilidad.

Key Words:

• Illness perceptions
• King-Kopetzky syndrome
• Auditory processing disorder
• Obscure auditory dysfunction

Acknowledgements

This work was funded in part by the Pan Bath and Swindon Primary Care Research Collaborative. This work was presented at the British Academy of Audiology Annual Conference, Liverpool, UK, on 26^th November, 2009.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Appendix

Box 1. Screening questionnaire (reproduced in: Higson J.M., Morgan N., Stephenson H. & Haggard M. 1996)

Do you suspect you may have more difficulty than other people in following a conversation against background noise (e.g. heavy traffic, pub, etc.)

SAME AS OTHERS/MORE DIFFICULTY/MUCH MORE DIFFICULTY

Do you suspect you may have more difficulty than others in hearing what is said in lectures or at meetings?

SAME AS OTHERS/MORE DIFFICULTY/MUCH MORE DIFFICULTY

Do you ever turn the wrong way when someone calls you; or are you unable to quickly locate a person who is speaking if you can't see them?

NEVER/RARELY/QUITE OFTEN/VERY OFTEN

How difficult do you find it to follow someone's conversation when other people are also talking close by?

NO DIFFICULTY/SOME DIFFICULTY/GREAT DIFFICULTY

Are you aware of having had ear infections as a child?

YES/NO

Do you have ear infections or blocked ears nowadays?

YES/NO

Your views about your hearing

We are interested in your own personal views of how you now see your hearing

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements about your hearing by ticking the appropriate box.

Listed below are a number of areas of difficulty that you may have experienced with your hearing. Please circle the answer or tick the box that best reflects your experience.

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements about your hearing by ticking the appropriate box