Kinesiophobia in Hearing Loss

Aim: Kinesiophobia is an irrational fear, which depends on the belief in injury predisposition. It is associated with lower levels of physical activity. Diagnosing hearing loss can lead to kinesiophobia. Method: The study was planned as a case-control study. A total of 105 subjects with 70 hearing impairment and 35 healthy subjects were included in the study between the ages of 40-76. Sociodemographic data of all participants were recorded. World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-bref) for for evaluation quality of life; and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) for evaluation of kinesiophobia were used. Hearing deficit of patients were made by hearing test measurements (air and bone). Airway results were taken into account. Findings: Both groups were similar in terms of age, Body Mass Index (BMI), education and marital status (p=0.64/0.06/0,08/0,83). The physical health score component of the WHOQOL-bref questionnaire was significantly lower in the study group (p=0.006). The other sub-parameters (general health, psychological health, social and environmental relations) were similar. There was no difference between the TSK results (p=0.76). The mean hearing frequencies (right / left) in the study group were correlated with TSK (p=0.029, r=0.319). In the study group, TSK and WHOQOL-bref (p = 0.00, r = -0.64) showed a negative correlation. Conclusion: Subjects with hearing loss have higher levels of kinesychophobia and lower physical health scores than healthy individuals matched with age and BMI. Kinesiophobia may affect quality of life in this population