Development and psychometric evaluation of a health-related quality of life instrument for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss

Abstract

Objective: Self-reports of ‘hearing handicap’ are available, but a comprehensive measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for individuals with adult-onset hearing loss (AOHL) does not exist. Our objective was to develop and evaluate a multidimensional HRQOL instrument for individuals with AOHL. Design: The Impact of Hearing Loss Inventory Tool (IHEAR-IT) was developed using results of focus groups, a literature review, advisory expert panel input, and cognitive interviews. Study sample: The 73-item field-test instrument was completed by 409 adults (22–91 years old) with varying degrees of AOHL and from different areas of the USA. Results: Multitrait scaling analysis supported four multi-item scales and five individual items. Internal consistency reliabilities ranged from 0.93 to 0.96 for the scales. Construct validity was supported by correlations between the IHEAR-IT scales and scores on the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, version 2.0 (SF-36v2) mental composite summary (r = 0.32–0.64) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly/Adults (HHIE/HHIA) (r ≥ −0.70). Conclusions: The field test provides initial support for the reliability and construct validity of the IHEAR-IT for evaluating HRQOL of individuals with AOHL. Further research is needed to evaluate the responsiveness to change of the IHEAR-IT scales and identify items for a short-form.

Key Words:

• Hearing loss
• health-related quality of life
• functioning
• well-being

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), Field Initiated Research Grant # H133G030191. Ron Hays was supported in part by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), 1U2-CCA186878-01. We would like to express thanks to members of the expert advisory panel for their helpful suggestions. We especially would like to thank Hearing Loss Association of America for its support and assistance in recruiting subjects for this study.

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Supplementary material available online