Table 1.
Factors hypothesized to influence on 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 |
| Self-perceived 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 Signal to Noise Ratio, QEEW Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work; ACHW Amsterdam Checklist for Hearing and Work (ACHW), CPHI Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired