Quality of Social and Sexual Life in Males with Hearing Loss

Objective: Hearing loss(HL) is a very common medical condition that leads to a decline in quality of social and sexual life. This study aimed to assess the quality of social and sexual life in male patients with HL. Materials and Methods: We studied two groups: (1) adult men with acquired, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss(SNHL), and (2) healthy, adult, married men that have normal hearing levels, as the control group. Quality of social life was assessed using the The Hearing Handicap Inventory for Adults (HHIA) and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and quality of sexual life was assesssed using the International Index of Erectile Function(IIEF) questionnaire. Results: There was statistically significant differences between the groups regarding the scores for HHIA,SF-36 and IIEF questionnaire. Conclusion: Our results indicate that men with SNHL have poorer social and sexual life.