Effects of before using hearing aid, unilateral hearing aid use and bilateral hearing aid use on quality of life in individuals with postlingual hearing loss

Hearing loss, which may be congenital or may occur later, can affect the social and emotional aspects of adult individuals. With the influence, the person begins to perceive the obstacle in himself. The aim of the hearing aid used in the rehabilitation of hearing loss to minimize the handicaps of hearing loss. The aim of this research is to assess the social and emotional impact in the lives of individuals using unilateral and bilateral hearing aids, depending on the perceived hearing handicap. A total of 63 people, aged between 18 and 65, 14 women and 22 men using unilateral hearing aids and 15 women and 12 men using bilateral hearing aids, participated in the study. Participants using unilateral hearing aids before using hearing aids and while using unilateral hearing aids; Participants using bilateral devices were asked to consider their situation when using a unilateral hearing aid and bilateral hearing aid before using a hearing aid, and filled in Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults. Pre-hearing aid social score of the unilateral hearing aid users was 27,94±14,24, the emotional score was 32,06±15,51, and the total score was 60±28,77. Unilateral hearing aid use social score was 19,94±15,69, emotional score was 23,5±16,68, and total score was 43,44±31,45. In unilateral hearing aid users, a significant relationship was found between pre-hearing aid and unilateral use of hearing aids in terms of social and total scores (p=0,023, p=0,045), but no significant relationship was found in terms of emotional scores (p=0,098). No significant relationship was found between daily hearing aid usage time and social, emotional and total effects (p>0,05). ). A significant relationship was found between total hearing aid usage time and social effects (p=0,038), but no significant relationship was found between total hearing aid usage time and emotional and total effects (p>0,05). Pre-hearing aid social score of bilateral users was 32,59±16,05, emotional score was 35,33±17,23, and total score was 67,93±33,04. Unilateral hearing aid use social score was 29,04±14,79, emotional score was 33,41±16,49, total score was 62,44±29,74. Bilateral hearing aid use social score was 19,11±15,61, emotional score was 24,67±16,67, total score was 43,78±30,82. In bilateral hearing aid users, a significant relationship was found between pre-hearing aid and unilateral use in terms of emotional and total scores (p=0,009, p=0,049), but no significant relationship was found in terms of social score (p=0,207). A significant relationship was found between unilateral use and bilateral use in terms of social, emotional and total scores (p=0,001, p=0,009, p=0,003). No significant relationship was found between daily hearing aid usage time and total hearing aid usage time and social, emotional and total effects (p>0,05).