Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38715316›Full record

ArticleHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2024

'The burden is very much on yourself': A qualitative study to understand the illness and treatment burden of hearing loss across the life course.

Sian K Smith, Helen Pryce, Georgina Burns‐O'Connell, Saira Hussain, Rachel Shaw, Jean Straus

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Refinement and Validation of a New Patient-Reported Experience Measure for Hearing Loss (My Hearing PREM).Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
    Article
  4. Development of the First Patient-Reported Experience Measure (PREM) for Hearing Loss in Audiology Care-My Hearing PREM.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Article
  5. 'The burden is very much on yourself': A qualitative study to understand the illness and treatment burden of hearing loss across the life course.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sian K SmithDepartment of Audiology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Helen PryceDepartment of Audiology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Georgina Burns‐O'ConnellDepartment of Audiology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Saira HussainDepartment of Audiology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Rachel ShawAston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment and School of Psychology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.
Jean StrausDepartment of Audiology, College of Health and Life Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK.

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research 131597University Hospitals BristolWeston NHS Foundation Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHearing loss is a chronic health condition that rises sharply with age. The way people respond to and cope with health conditions is influenced by their capacity to perform illness and treatment-related work. The aim was to explore the cumulative burdens of living with hearing loss and the resources mobilised to ease the burdens.

methodsA qualitative design was used with semi-structured interviews (online or in-person) with participants recruited through audiology services and nonclinical services, such as lip-reading classes. Forty-six participants with hearing loss aged between 16 and 96 years were interviewed. An abductive approach, informed by May et al.'s burden of treatment theory, was used to analyse the data.

resultsThe illness burden involved participants working to make sense of their hearing loss, engaging in emotional work in response to changes in sound, social interactions and identity and coping with the daily frustrations required to communicate with others. Abandonment and uncertainty characterised the treatment burden; participants engaged in emotional work to adjust to hearing technology and deal with the uncertainty of how their hearing might progress. To ameliorate the burdens, participants drew on internal resources (psychological, health literacy, cognitive) and external resources (social support, financial, information, technology).

conclusionsThe workload of hearing loss appears largely devolved to the patient and is not always visible. Our work indicates the need to widen approaches in audiological care through the implementation of lifeworld-led care, family-centred care and peer support to build support for those with hearing loss. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: We developed the project in consultation with members of the public who have lived experience of hearing loss recruited through Aston University and volunteer links to audiology services. We also consulted people more likely to be affected by hearing loss adults including adults with learning disabilities, older adults in residential care and people from South Asia (Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani communities). These individuals commented on the study aims, interview schedule and participant recruitment practices. One of our co-authors (expert by experience) contributed to the development and interpretation of themes and preparation of the final manuscript.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PsychologicalCost of IllnessHearing LossInterviews as TopicQualitative ResearchAdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adultaudiologyhearing aidshearing lossillness burdenlife course perspectivequalitativetreatment burden

Identifiers

PMID38715316
PMCPMC11076985

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.