Part I: Factors inflencing professional functioning 41 Hearing-related factors consisted of LE, BHI, the maximum speech discrimination score, the critical SNR measured in the speech-in-noise test, and the presence of tinnitus. Work- related factors consisted of work participation, collegial support, auditory work demands, fulfilling managerial tasks, the number of working hours a week, and ‘feeling that something should change at work’. Personal factors consisted of the communication strategies and PA used, and general health condition. In addition, age, gender, and educational level were considered to be potential confounders. Table 1. Factors hypothesized to influence the need for recovery Derived from Operationalization Binaural Hearing Impairment Pure-tone audiometry Sum of pure-tone thresholds at 1, 2 and 4 kHz with a 5:1 weighting favoring the better ear Maximum discrimination Speech audiometry Percentage of maximum speech recognition for the better ear SNR in continuous noise Speech recognition test SNR measured in the daily life situation at work (with or without hearing aids) Presence of tinnitus Survey4 Item score (dichotomous) Work participation Survey (QEEW) Standardized scale score Collegial support Survey (QEEW) Standardized scale score Subjective listening effort Survey (ACHW) Sum score of 6 questions (4-point scale) on experienced listening effort during hearing-related job activities Auditory work demands Survey (ACHW) Weighted sum score of 6 questions (4-point scale) on the occurrence of hearing-related job activities Fulfilling managerial tasks Survey (ACHW) Item score (dichotomous) Number of working hours Survey (ACHW) Item score (open question) Feeling something should change Survey Item score (dichotomous) Communication strategies Survey (CPHI) Standardized scale score consisting of maladaptive behavior, verbal strategies and non-verbal strategies Personal adjustments Survey (CPHI) Standardized scale score consisting of self-acceptance, acceptance of loss and stress and withdrawal Age Survey Item score (open question) Gender Survey Item score (dichotomous) General health condition Survey Item score (dichotomized) Educational level Survey Item score (6 categories) SNR indicates Signal-to-noise ratio; QEEW, Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work; ACHW, AmsterdamChecklist for Hearing andWork (ACHW); CPHI, Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired.
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