Abstract
Background
High risks of mental illness within the deaf community are reported. The assessment of the level of mental distress and quality of life in the deaf community is difficult due to communication problems in spoken and written language. The deaf community is characterized by the use of sign language.
Methods
A new measure of acceptable reliability using sign language is described. The interactive computerised package including special versions of the World Health Organisation's Brief Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), the 12-Item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and five subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) was administered to a large community sample of deaf people (n=236), and results were compared with normative data for German-speaking hearing people.
Results
The deaf sample has a significantly poorer quality of life than the general population for the physical and psychological domains (p<0.01) as measured by the WHOQOL-BREF. However, in the domain of social relationships, no significant difference (p=0.19) was demonstrated. All findings with the GHQ-12 and the BSI show much higher levels (p=0.01) of emotional distress among the deaf.
Conclusion
Although a poorer quality of life and a higher level of mental distress are demonstrated, the similarity to the general population in the domain social relationships shows that this does not affect all domains. These findings show the need for easily accessible health services for the deaf which offer sensitive communication with them.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
In recent years, the new technology of cochlear implants and the politics of mainstreaming in education has significantly changed the deaf individual's development regarding their access to spoken language and socialisation.
References
Angermeyer MC, Kilian R, Matschinger H (2000) WHOQOL-100 und WHOQOL-BREF. Handbuch für die deutschsprachige Version der WHO Instrumente zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität, Göttingen
Bird ChE, Rieker PP (1999) Gender matters: an integrated model for understanding men's and women's health. Soc Sci Med 48:745–755
Bridgeman G, Maypherson B, Rako M, Campbell J, Manning V et al (2000) A National Epidemiological Survey of Mental Illness in the New Zealand Deaf Community. Paper presented to the 5th European and 2nd World Conference on Mental Health and Deafness, Copenhagen
Checinski K (1991) Preliminary findings of the study of the prevalence of psychiatric disorder in prelingually deaf adults living in the community. Proceedings, Mental Health and Deafness Conference, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London
Davis A, Wood S, Healy R, Webb H, Rowe S (1995) Risk factors for hearing disorder: epidemiologic evidence of change over time in the UK. J Am Acad Audiol 6:365–370
Derogatis LR, Spencer PM (1982) Brief Symptom Inventory: administration, scoring and procedures manual I. John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore
Fellinger J, Holzinger D, Schoberberger R, Lenz G (2005a), Psychosoziale Merkmale bei Gehörlosen. Daten aus einer Spezialambulanz für Gehörlose. Nervenarzt 76(1):43–51
Fellinger J, Holzinger D, Dobner U, Gerich J, Lehner R, Lenz G, Goldberg D (2005b) An innovative and reliable way of measuring Health-related Quality of Life and mental distress in the deaf community. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatric Epidemiol, in press
Franke HG (2000) BSI—Brief Symptom Inventory von Derogatis LR (Kurzform der SCL-90-R)-Deutsche Version. Manual, Beltz Test GmbH, Göttingen
Gelter I (1987) Wortschatz und Lesefähigkeit gehörloser Schüler. Sprachheilpädagoge 3:37–42
Goldberg DP, Williams PA (1988) User's Guide to te GHQ. NFER Nelson, Windsor
Graaf R (2002) Determinants of mental distress in adults with a severe auditory impairment: differences between prelingual and postlingual deafness. Psychosom Med 64(1):61–70
Holt JA (1994) Stanford Achievement Test, 8th ed: reading comprehension subgroup results. Am Ann Deaf 138:172–175
Howlin P, Rutter M (1987) The consequences of language delay for other aspects of development. In: Yule M, Rutter M (eds) Language development and disorders. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 271–294
Katschnig H, Ladinser E, Scherer M, Sonneck G, Wancata J (2001) Österreichischer Psychiatriebericht 2001: Teil 1, Daten zur psychiatrischen und psychosozialen Versorgung der österreichischen Bevölkerung. Bundesministerium für soziale Sicherheit und Generationen, Wien
Kyle J (1990) The deaf community: custom, culture and tradition. In: Prillwith S, Vollhaber T (eds) Sign language research and application. Signum, Hamburg, pp 201–213
Mullen PE, Martin JL et al (1993) Childhood sexual abuse and mental health in adult life. Br J Psychiatry 163:721–32
Mullen PE, Martin JL et al (1994) The effect of child sexual abuse on social, interpersonal and sexual function in adult life. Br J Psychiatry 165(2):35–47
O'Reilly JM, Hubbard ML, Lessler JT, Biemer PP, Turner CF (1994) Audio and video computer-assisted self-interviewing: preliminary tests of new technologies for data collection. J Off Stat 10(2):197–214
Prillwitz S (1982) zum Zusammenhang von Kognition, Kommunikation und Sprache mit Bezug auf die Gehörlosenproblematik. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart, pp 271–289
Richman WL, Kiesler S, Weisband S, Drasgow F (1999) A meta-analytic study of social desirability distortion in computer-administered questionnaires, traditional questionnaires, and interviews. J Appl Psychol 84(5):754–775
Ridgeway S (1993) Abuse and deaf children: some factors to consider. Child Abuse Rev 2(3):166–173
Ridgeway S (1997) Deaf people and psychological health—some preliminary findings. Deaf Worlds 13(1):9–18
Schein JD(1987) The demography of deafness. In: Higgins PC, Nash JE (eds) Understanding deafness socially. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, IL, pp 1–27
Schein JD, Delk MT (1974) The deaf population of the United States. The National Association of the Deaf, Silver Spring, MD
Schonauer K et al (1999) Comorbidity of schizophrenia and prelingual deafness: its impact on social network structures. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 34:526–532
Sudman S, Bradburn NM (1974) Response effects in surveys. Aldine, Chicago
Swanston HY, Tebbutt JS, O'Toole BI, Oates RK (1997) Sexually abused children 5 years after presentation: a case-control study. Pediatrics 100(4):600–608
The WHOQOL Group (1998) Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL BREF quality of life assessment. Psychol Med 28:551–558
Verbrugge L (1985) Gender and health: an update on hypotheses and evidence. J Health Soc Behav 24:16–30
Werngren-Elgstrom M, Dehlin O, Iwarsson S (2003) Aspects of quality of life of persons with prelingual deafness using sign language: subjective wellbeing, ill-health symptoms, depression and insomnia. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 37:13–24
Acknowledgements
The study was significantly supported by the “Fonds Gesundes Österreich” and the Government of Upper Austria. Special thanks are given to the Deaf Association of Upper Austria (president: Prof. Peter Dimmel) for close cooperation. 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111 11111111111111111111111111111111111111111
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fellinger, J., Holzinger, D., Dobner, U. et al. Mental distress and quality of life in a deaf population. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 40, 737–742 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0936-8
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0936-8