DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i07.049

Pages: 2745-2751

Many studies among people with hearing loss revealed a strong link with mental health although there’s a dearth of published studies specifically on hearing loss among psychiatric patients. Proposed synergistic effect of mental illness and hearing loss predisposing to other forms of mental illness such as depression. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and predominant mental illnesses linked to hearing loss in this region. Descriptive survey design incorporating measurement of Otoacoustic emissions(OAE) of each of fifty consecutive patients with mental illness attending mental health clinic from January to June 2017. Behavioural responses were not considered. The results were used to determine: (a) The type of mental illness predominant among the study group; and (b) The prevalence of hearing loss among patients with mental illness. Paranoid Schizophrenia was the predominant type of mental illness with 23(46%) having the disorder. Prevalence of hearing loss per se was 32(64%) though 18(36%) referred to the right ear, while 16(32%) referred to the left ears. Although small study sample, relatively high number of patients with mental illness were determined through otoacoustic emissions to have sensorineural hearing loss. There is need for prompt specialist evaluation and treatment of mental illness; hearing screening of all patients diagnosed with mental illness; and future researchers are implored to replicate this study with large sample size.