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Table of Contents
Quality of Life (HHIA/E)
The Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults - screening version (HHIA-S) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly - screening version (HHIE-S) are two largely overlapping 10-item self-assessment scales that aim to assess the presence of hearing loss and its impact on the quality of life (section: wellbeing & subjective health). They are the shorter versions of the 25-item HHIA and HHIE1)2)
Note that quality of life is also assessed in Lifelines using the RAND, EQ5D and SWLS questionnaires.
Other ear- and hearing-related problems are assessed with some general questions.
Scoring
The HHIA and HHIE both contain the following 8 items: 5 'emotional' items (2a/b/e/i/k) and 3 'social/situational' items (2f/j/l). Furthermore, the HHIA contains 2 specific 'social/situational' items (2d/h) and the HHIE contains 2 alternative 'social/situational' items (2c/g).
Although each adult participant (including elderly participants) received all 12 (8+2+2) HHIA/HHIE items, participants between 18-64 years old should be scored using only the 10 HHIA items (2a/b/d/e/f/h/i/j/k/l), and participants of 65 years and older should be scored using only the 10 HHIE items (2a/b/c/e/f/g/i/j/k/l).
Scoring works as follows: participants indicated for all 10 items to what extent it was applicable to their life: yes (4 points), no (0 points), or sometimes (2 points). Adding up all the points for the 10 relevant/age-appropriate items results in the following sum scores:
- 0-8 = no self-perceived handicap
- 10 to 24 = mild to moderate handicap
- 26 to 40 = severe handicap
Note that one basic question about potential hearing problems (1) was added, to determine if participants should fill in the HHIA/E-S.
Variables
| Questions English | Questions Dutch | Code | Variable | Assessment | Age |
| do you have hearing problems? | hebt u hoorproblemen? | hhia_hearingproblems_adu_q_01 | hhias1 | 2B 3B ACTQ | 18+ |
| are you embarrassed about your hearing problem when you meet new people? | schaamt u zich vanwege uw hoorprobleem als u nieuwe mensen ontmoet? | hhia_shame_adu_q_02_a | hhias2a | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| do you feel frustrated by your hearing problem when talking to relatives? | voelt u zich door uw hoorprobleem gefrustreerd als u met familieleden praat? | hhia_frustration_adu_q_02_b | hhias2b | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| do you find it difficult to understand other people when they whisper? | hebt u er moeite mee om een ander te verstaan als deze persoon fluistert? | hhia_whispers_adu_q_02_c (hhie-specific) | hhias2c | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| does your hearing disorder bother you in the cinema or the theatre? | ondervindt u door uw hoorprobleem hinder als u in de bioscoop of het theater bent? | hhia_theatre_adu_q_02_d (hhia-specific) | hhias2d | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| do you feel limited by your hearing problem? | voelt u zich beperkt door uw hoorprobleem? | hhia_limitations_adu_q_02_e | hhias2e | 2B 3B ACTQ | 18+ |
| when you visit friends, family or neighbours, does your hearing problem make that difficult? | als u op bezoek bent bij vrienden, familie of buren, maakt uw hoorprobleem dat dan lastig? | hhia_socialvisits_adu_q_02_f | hhias2f | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| do your hearing problems cause you to attend fewer religious meetings than you would like? | gaat u door uw hoorprobleem minder vaak naar religieuze bijeenkomsten dan u zou willen? | hhia_religion_adu_q_02_g (hhie-specific) | hhias2g | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| do you find it difficult to hear/understand colleagues, clients or customers because of your hearing problem? | hebt u door uw hoorprobleem moeite om collega’s, cliënten, of klanten te horen/verstaan? | hhia_workplace_adu_q_02_h (hhia-specific) | hhias2h | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| does your hearing problem ever cause quarrels or rows with family members? | hebt u door uw hoorprobleem wel eens onenigheid of ruzie met familieleden? | hhia_fights_adu_q_02_i | hhias2i | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| does your hearing disorder bother you when listening to the tv or radio? | ondervindt u door uw hoorprobleem hinder bij het luisteren naar de televisie of radio? | hhia_television_adu_q_02_j | hhias2j | 2B 3B | 18+ |
| do you think that your hearing problem limits your personal or social life? | vindt u dat uw hoorprobleem uw persoonlijke of sociale leven beperkt? | hhia_sociallife_adu_q_02_k | hhias2k | 2B 3B ACTQ | 18+ |
| does your hearing disorder bother you when you are in a restaurant with family or friends? | ondervindt u hinder door uw hoorprobleem als u met familie of vrienden in een restaurant bent? | hhia_restaurant_adu_q_02_l | hhias2l | 2B 3B | 18+ |
