Hallucinations in Hearing Impairment: How Informed Are Clinicians?

Theresa M Marschall; Pim van Dijk; Karolina Kluk; Sanne Koops; Mascha M J Linszen; Timothy D Griffiths; Wei Lin Toh; Alicja N Malicka; Damir Kovačić; Christoph Mulert; Iris E C Sommer; Branislava Ćurčić-Blake

doi:10.1093/schbul/sbac034

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Hallucinations in Hearing Impairment: How Informed Are Clinicians?

Journal article

Open access

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Hallucinations in Hearing Impairment: How Informed Are Clinicians?

Theresa M Marschall, Pim van Dijk, Karolina Kluk, Sanne Koops, Mascha M J Linszen, Timothy D Griffiths, Wei Lin Toh, Alicja N Malicka, Damir Kovačić, Christoph Mulert, …

Schizophrenia bulletin, Vol.49(12 Suppl 2), pp.S33-S40

02/24/2023

DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac034

PMCID: PMC9960039

PMID: 36840541

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Abstract

Patients with hearing impairment (HI) may experience hearing sounds without external sources, ranging from random meaningless noises (tinnitus) to music and other auditory hallucinations (AHs) with meaningful qualities. To ensure appropriate assessment and management, clinicians need to be aware of these phenomena. However, sensory impairment studies have shown that such clinical awareness is low. An online survey was conducted investigating awareness of AHs among clinicians and their opinions about these hallucinations. In total, 125 clinicians (68.8% audiologists; 18.4% Ear-Nose-Throat [ENT] specialists) across 10 countries participated in the survey. The majority (96.8%) was at least slightly aware of AHs in HI. About 69.6% of participants reported encountering patients with AHs less than once every 6 months in their clinic. Awareness was significantly associated with clinicians' belief that patients feel anxious about their hallucinations (β = .018, t(118) = 2.47, P < .01), their belief that clinicians should be more aware of these hallucinations (β =.018, t(118) = 2.60, P < .01), and with confidence of clinicians in their skills to assess them (β = .017, t(118) = 2.63, P < .01). Clinicians felt underequipped to treat AHs (Median = 31; U = 1838; PFDRadj < .01). Awareness of AHs among the surveyed clinicians was high. Yet, the low frequency of encounters with hallucinating patients and their belief in music as the most commonly perceived sound suggest unreported cases. Clinicians in this study expressed a lack of confidence regarding the assessment and treatment of AHs and welcome more information.

Anxiety

Disabled Persons

Emotions

Hallucinations

Hearing Loss

Humans

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hallucinations in Hearing Impairment: How Informed Are Clinicians?
Creators: Theresa M Marschall - University Medical Center Groningen
Pim van Dijk - University of Groningen
Karolina Kluk - Manchester Academic Health Science Centre
Sanne Koops - University Medical Center Groningen
Mascha M J Linszen - University of Groningen
Timothy D Griffiths - Newcastle University
Wei Lin Toh - Swinburne University of Technology
Alicja N Malicka - La Trobe University
Damir Kovačić - University of Split
Christoph Mulert - University of Giessen
Iris E C Sommer - University Medical Center Groningen
Branislava Ćurčić-Blake - University of Groningen
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Schizophrenia bulletin, Vol.49(12 Suppl 2), pp.S33-S40
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac034
PMID: 36840541
PMCID: PMC9960039
ISSN: 0586-7614
eISSN: 1745-1701
Grant note: MR/T032553/1 / Medical Research Council
Language: English
Date published: 02/24/2023
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences
Record Identifier: 9984627221102771

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