Review Article
Olufemi Timothy Adigun
Abstract
Introduction: Hearing loss is a silent disability that reduces the hearing acuity of an individual and makes it difficult to perceive or interpret auditory signals. Persons with hearing loss are a heterogeneous group comprising of diverse and complex psychosocial characteristics of individuals who does not readily enjoy the empathy/sympathy received by other forms of disabilities that is readily visible. Hearing loss usually predisposes sufferers to resentment, hostility, rejection and subtle denial resulting to a cascading effect on socio-emotional development and could ultimately lead to depression. Objective: This study assessed the extent and trend of studies on depression among individuals with hearing loss which are domiciled online data bases and to establish the strengths and limitation of such studies in Nigeria. Methods: To conduct this systematic review, a thorough search across multiple databases was undertaken, based upon five search facets (“depression”, “depressive symptoms”, “hearing loss”, “deaf” and “hard of hearing”). Five electronic databases, key texts and references in the articles identified were scrutinized for article that have in their title “depression” and “hearing loss”. Results: Data gathered revealed that hearing loss is significantly associated with depression while the onset and degrees of hearing loss poses to be a major correlate of depressive symptoms among the elderly. The study revealed that there is a dearth of studies which distinguished between communication options, parental involvement, socioeconomic status or birth order of the Deaf respondents/participants in relation to depression in their studies. Conclusion: There is a great tendency for depression among the Deaf and/or hard of hearing which may as well instigate suicidal thoughts. This study observed a dearth of studies on depression and its associated symptoms among the Deaf and/or hard of hearing in Nigeria and the Sub-Sahara Africa. Therefore, psychologist and other mental health workers should not take for granted any depressive symptoms among persons with hearing loss.