Gaining Insight Into Dual Sensory Loss

Gaining Insight Into Dual Sensory Loss: Quantitative Study

The goal of this observational study is to explore difficulties in information access, mobility, communication and fatigue in people with combined vision and hearing impairments. The main question it aims to answer is:

• What influence do varying severities of vision and hearing loss have on information access, mobility, communication and fatigue.

Participants will fill out questionnaires and the researchers will measure their vision and hearing functions.

People with dual sensory loss have impairments in both vision and hearing. When the impairments are severe, it will become more difficult to compensate for these impairments. This can result in difficulties, for example in the areas of access to information, communication, fatigue and/or mobility. Now, we do not know which problems arise from different combinations and levels of impairments in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual field, hearing threshold, directional hearing and speech understanding. We also do not know how this influences the areas of access to information, communication, fatigue and mobility.

The objective of this study is to determine which problems arise from different levels of impairments in visual and auditory functions. We will especially focus on the areas of access to information, communication, fatigue and mobility.

Study design

Participants' visual (visual acuity, visual field, contrast sensitivity) and auditory functions (hearing threshold, directional hearing, speech understanding) will be measured. We will use the following materials:

• ETDRS card
• Vistech card
• Octopus perimeter
• Affinity compact audiometer
• 8 Genelec 8020 DPM speakers (to measure directional hearing)
• Digits in Noise (DIN) test and NVA word lists

Several questionnaires will be filled out to measure difficulties in the areas of access to information, communication, fatigue and mobility:

• Dutch ICF Activity Inventory - domains watching TV, using a computer, using a telephone, mobility outdoors (walking), using public transportation and feeling fit
• Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale
• Spatial Localization Questionnaire
• Fatigue Assessment Scale

Study population:

• 150 people with dual sensory loss
• 50 people with a visual impairment
• 50 people with an auditory impairment
• 50 people with normal vision and hearing

Inclusion Criteria:

• Older than 18 years
• Good understanding of the Dutch language
• Clients: visual and/or auditory impairment (congenital or acquired)
• Other participants: normal vision and hearing

Exclusion Criteria:

• Impaired cognitive functioning