Depression among adult patients with hearing impairment: a cross-sectional study from Kohat, Pakistan
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Abstract
Objective: To determine the frequency of depression among adults with hearing impairment attending the Divisional Headquarters Teaching Hospital (DHTQH) Kohat, Pakistan.
Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at DHTQH, Khyber Medical University Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat, from January to July 2023. A total of 264 patients aged 18–60 years with hearing impairment of at least six-months' duration were enrolled through non-probability consecutive sampling. Patients with previous ear surgery, hearing aid use, psychiatric illness, substance abuse, or chronic neurological or medical disorders were excluded. Hearing impairment was confirmed by pure-tone audiometry. Depression was assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data were analyzed using R version 4.3.1. Associations between depression and demographic variables were examined using Chi-square or Fisher's exact test.
Results: Mean age of the participants was 39.11±16.00 years, and mean PHQ-9 score was 8.21±5.84. Of the 264 participants, 145 (54.92%) were male and 119 (45.08%) were female. Depression (PHQ-9 score ≥5) was identified in 185 (70.08%) participants, including 90 (34.09%) with mild, 67 (25.38%) with moderate, 15 (5.68%) with moderately severe, and 13 (4.92%) with severe depression. Depression was significantly common among males than females (63.95% vs. 36.05%; p=0.001). A significant association was also observed between age group and depression (p<0.001), with the highest proportion occurring among participants aged 21–30 years.
Conclusion: Depression was highly prevalent among adults with hearing impairment, particularly among males and younger individuals. Routine depression screening should be integrated into ENT services to enable early diagnosis, timely intervention, and improved patient outcomes.
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