Several studies addressed the lack of measuring tools covering “generic” and “disease-specific” conditions in audiology. Outcome measurements mostly used in audiology focused on disease specific conditions and provided little information about individual functioning, other health status, and contextual factors. The biopsychosocial model underlying the International classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) emphasized ongoing interactions among these factors and provided a universal framework. The purpose of this study was to introduce ICF Core Sets for hearing loss and apply the Core Sets as a reference to supplement questionnaires available in audiology. A total of 117 categories for the Comprehensive ICF Cores Set and 27 categories for the Brief ICF Core Set for hearing loss were introduced. The Comprehensive Core Set consists of comprehensively relevant categories for hearing loss across the four ICF domains (body functions, body structures, activities and participation, and environmental factors) and the Brief Core Set captures essential components of the Comprehensive Core Set in a short version. In order to investigate whether every item of the four questionnaires (Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit, International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids, and MarkeyTrack survey) have covered the ICF domains or not, main concepts from every question were identified and linked with the ICF Brief Core Set. None of the questionnaires comprehensively covered all functioning categories in the ICF Brief Core Set and only 9 ~ 16 categories out of 27 categories in the ICF Brief Core Set were matched with the main concepts of the questionnaires. This result supported that current questionnaires used in audiology did not cover the ICF categories and the Core Sets for hearing loss would be a useful framework for developing new comprehensive questionnaires in audiology.
INTRODUCTION DISCUSSIONS REFERENCES
