Hearing Loss and Depression in Brazilians

Objectives: Hearing loss (HL) may be related to psychopathological aspects of the individual. The Sistema Único de Saúde-SUS (health public system of Brazil) treats patients with HL by employing multidisciplinary teams. Our goal was to verify the level/seriousness of depressive symptoms on Brazilian...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Otolaryngology-head and neck surgery 2013-09, Vol.149 (2_suppl), p.P152-P152
Main Authors: Schlindwein-Zanini, Rachel, Zanini, Fabio D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Objectives: Hearing loss (HL) may be related to psychopathological aspects of the individual. The Sistema Único de Saúde-SUS (health public system of Brazil) treats patients with HL by employing multidisciplinary teams. Our goal was to verify the level/seriousness of depressive symptoms on Brazilian patients with HL that are candidates for a prosthesis and to obtain other data such as age, schooling, and work. Methods: Transversal study in a Brazilian public hospital in 2012. To verify the seriousness of depressive symptoms (dependent variables) on a sample of 105 subjects with HL (independent variable), paired on both sexes, over 18 years old, using psychological interview and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The study was approved by the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina Committee on the Ethics of Research on Human Beings. Conclusions: Most patients complained of bilateral HL. Observing the study about the severity of the depressive symptoms, it was found that the 59% had completed primary school, were working (68 adults), and presented depressive signs, in which 47% of the individuals showed minimal symptoms, 18% mild, 6% moderate, and 1% presented serious symptoms. Depression has psychological consequences on a person with HL and interferes with quality of life, family and work dynamics, and indicates a need for psychological intervention.
ISSN:0194-5998
1097-6817
DOI:10.1177/0194599813496044a32