Impact of coping strategies on activities and participation restrictions in adults with unilateral hearing loss in Japan: A survey

Background: Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) causes difficulty in communication in certain environments. There is limited research on environmental factors that increase the hearing difficulty of patients with UHL. Thus is necessary to clarify the effect of coping strategies, which are individual factors, on the activities and participation restrictions of patients with UHL. Methods A questionnaire was prepared based on experiences from six patients, and patients were selected using the snowball sampling method. The questionnaire comprised of 17 items; 12 items related to “activities/participation” restrictions and five related to “coping strategies.” The questionnaire was administered online on a UHL community page on a social networking site. Results Responses were obtained from 135 UHL patients. Over 90% of patients with UHL answered “activities/participation” restrictions, such as “concerns over seating position” and worry that they may be causing “discomfort to communication partners.” The scores of “activities/participation” were strongly correlated with “focus on attention” and “pretending to have heard.” Conclusions Negative coping strategies increase activities/participation restrictions. Therefore, it is crucial to provide appropriate guidance on coping strategies that effectively improve communication in patients with UHL.