Brief ReportConceptual model for quality of life among adults with congenital or early deafness
Section snippets
Method
Using the University of Washington Center for Disability Policy and Research's conceptual model for health promotion as a guide,8 we replicated the qualitative methods used to create domains for a new Youth Quality of Life-DHH instrument.9 The interview questions from the YQoL-DHH study were modified based on the literature that explored aspects of QoL among deaf adults and used in this study. A grounded theory approach guided the analysis of data collected from key informant interviews.10
Results
Recurrent themes and the literature conceptualize an AQoL-Deaf model (Fig. 1). This figure includes both deaf-related extrinsic and intrinsic factors that might interact with the deaf individual's health status. Along with health, these factors are proposed to have positive or negative impact on individuals' health- and deaf-related QoL.
In the AQoL-Deaf model, an emphasis in self-care (i.e., health status) should be considered in the intrinsic context that serve to promote a healthy foundation
Discussion
This study aimed to describe the factors that influence perceived QoL among deaf adults and present a conceptual framework for understanding the impact of deaf-related issues on perceived QoL. Audiological intervention such as CIs and HAs might help reduce hearing difficulties that deaf adults experience, but modifiable lifestyle factors such as self-acceptance and health advocacy that interact with the deaf adult's functional communication skills are also particularly and perhaps even more
Acknowledgment
We would like to thank Ivy Vetor, undergraduate research assistant, for her assistance with transcribing interviews and organizing data.
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Conflict of interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Grant support and presentation of work: This work has been generously supported by a seed grant awarded to Poorna Kushalnagar, PhD, from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Results were presented at the 140th American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting in San Francisco, CA.