10.6084/m9.figshare.6490379.v1 Satu Turunen-Taheri Satu Turunen-Taheri Per-Inge Carlsson Per-Inge Carlsson Ann-Christin Johnson Ann-Christin Johnson Sten Hellström Sten Hellström Severe-to-profound hearing impairment: demographic data, gender differences and benefits of audiological rehabilitation Taylor & Francis Group 2018 Swedish quality register EuroQoL-5D-3L hearing loss hearing aids cochlear implants gender 2018-06-12 11:24:52 Journal contribution https://tandf.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Severe-to-profound_hearing_impairment_demographic_data_gender_differences_and_benefits_of_audiological_rehabilitation/6490379 <p><b>Purpose:</b> The purpose of this study was to identify and report demographic data of patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss, assess participation in audiological rehabilitation and analyze the benefits of various rehabilitation methods.</p> <p><b>Materials and methods:</b> Data on 4286 patients with severe-to-profound hearing impairments registered in the Swedish Quality Register of Otorhinolaryngology over a period from 2006–2015 were studied. Demographic data, gender differences, audiological rehabilitation and benefits of the rehabilitation were analyzed.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> Group rehabilitation and visits to a hearing rehabilitation educator provided the most benefits in audiological rehabilitation. Only 40.5% of the patients received extended audiological rehabilitation, of which 54.5% were women. A total of 9.5% of patients participated in group rehabilitation, with 59.5% being women. Women also visited technicians, welfare officers, hearing rehabilitation educators, psychologists and physicians and received communication rehabilitation in a group and fit with cochlea implants significantly more often than did men.</p> <p><b>Conclusions:</b> The study emphasizes the importance of being given the opportunity to participate in group rehabilitation and meet a hearing rehabilitation educator to experience the benefits of hearing rehabilitation. There is a need to offer extended audiological rehabilitation, especially in terms of gender differences, to provide the same impact for women and men.Implications for Rehabilitation</p><p>Significantly more women than men with severe-to-profound hearing impairment receive audiological rehabilitation.</p><p>Hearing impairment appears to have a significantly more negative impact on women’s quality of life than men’s.</p><p>It is important to offer extended audiological rehabilitation to all patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss to obtain an equal hearing health care regardless of gender.</p><p></p> <p>Significantly more women than men with severe-to-profound hearing impairment receive audiological rehabilitation.</p> <p>Hearing impairment appears to have a significantly more negative impact on women’s quality of life than men’s.</p> <p>It is important to offer extended audiological rehabilitation to all patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss to obtain an equal hearing health care regardless of gender.</p>