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Abstract
The effects of hearing impairment on the person with the impairment and on their significant others are pervasive and affect the quality of life for all involved. The effect of hearing impairment on significant others is known as a third-party disability. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically test a scale to measure the third-party disability experienced by spouses of older people with hearing impairment. The Significant Other Scale for Hearing Disability (SOS-HEAR) was based on results of a previous qualitative study investigating the effect of hearing impairment on a spouse's everyday life. Psychometric testing with 100 spouses was conducted using item analysis, Cronbach's alpha, factor analysis, and test-retest reliability. Principal components analysis identified six key underlying factors. A combined set of 27 items was found to be reliable (alpha = 0.94), with weighted kappa for items ranging from fair to very good. The SOS-HEAR is a brief, easy to administer instrument that has evidence of reliability and validity. The SOS-HEAR could serve as a means of identifying spouses of older people with hearing impairment in need of intervention, directed towards either the couple or the spouse alone.
| Abbreviations | ||
| HI | = | Hearing impairment |
| HTL | = | Hearing threshold level |
| ICF | = | International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health |
| SOS-HEAR | = | Significant Other Scale for Hearing Disability |
| WHO | = | World Health Organization |
| Abbreviations | ||
| HI | = | Hearing impairment |
| HTL | = | Hearing threshold level |
| ICF | = | International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health |
| SOS-HEAR | = | Significant Other Scale for Hearing Disability |
| WHO | = | World Health Organization |
Sumario
Los efectos de la hipoacusia de la persona con el trastorno y sobre el cónyuge son insidiosos y afectan la calidad de vida de todos los involucrados. El efecto de un trastorno auditivo sobre el cónyuge es conocido como la discapacidad de terceros. Este estudio estuvo orientado a desarrollar y evaluar psicométricamente una escala para medir la discapacidad de terceros experimentada por el cónyuge de adultos mayores con trastornos auditivos. La escala del cónyuge para discapacidad auditiva (SOS-HEAR) se basó en los resultados de estudios cualitativos previos investigando el efecto de un trastorno auditivo sobre en la vida cotidiana del cónyuge. Se aplicaron pruebas psicométricas a 100 cónyuges usando análisis de ítems, alfa de Cronbach, análisis de factores, y confiabilidad test-retest. El análisis de componentes principales identificó seis factores subyacentes clave. Un grupo combinado de 27 ítems se encontró que era confiable (alfa = 0.94), con una kapa ponderada para ítems que iban de regular a muy bueno. El SOS-HEAR es un instrumento breve, fácil de administrar y que tiene evidencias de confiabilidad y validez. El SOS-HEAR podría servir como un medio de identificar cónyuges de adultos mayores con trastornos auditivos que requieren intervención dirigida a la pareja o solamente al cónyuge.
