TY - JOUR
T1 - Experiences of people with dual sensory loss in various areas of life
T2 - A qualitative study
AU - Veenman, E.
AU - Roelofs, A. A.J.
AU - Stolwijk, M. L.
AU - Bootsma, A. M.
AU - van Nispen, R. M.A.
N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This study was funded by the Visio Foundation (https://visiofoundation.org). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2023 Veenman et al.
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Individuals with dual sensory loss (DSL) appear to have limited ability to compensate for their visual impairment with residual hearing, or for their hearing impairment with residual vision, resulting in challenges in various areas of life. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the diverse experiences facing individuals with DSL as well as to determine how they experience sensory compensation. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in twenty adults with DSL (13 females and 7 males, mean age 47 years). The causes of DSL severity varied amongst participants. Sensory compensation and experiences in regards to access to information, mobility, communication and fatigue were discussed. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Framework analysis was used to summarize and interpret the data. In relation to access to information, our results show that, despite various challenges, the use of assistive technology such as voice command functions, enabled participants to operate effectively. Regarding mobility, most participants were capable of finding their way in familiar environments. However, if the setting was unfamiliar, assistance from others or reliance on navigation applications was necessary. Participants experienced little issues with having conversations in quiet settings, however, crowded settings were considered very difficult. The final results showed that most participants suffered from fatigue. Carefully considering which daily activities were feasible and having a daily routine helped to cope with fatigue. This study revealed the experiences of individuals with DSL in important areas of life. The results suggest that, even though many challenges are experienced, individuals with DSL are resourceful in finding compensation strategies. However, capturing participants’ sensory compensation experiences was challenging.
AB - Individuals with dual sensory loss (DSL) appear to have limited ability to compensate for their visual impairment with residual hearing, or for their hearing impairment with residual vision, resulting in challenges in various areas of life. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the diverse experiences facing individuals with DSL as well as to determine how they experience sensory compensation. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in twenty adults with DSL (13 females and 7 males, mean age 47 years). The causes of DSL severity varied amongst participants. Sensory compensation and experiences in regards to access to information, mobility, communication and fatigue were discussed. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Framework analysis was used to summarize and interpret the data. In relation to access to information, our results show that, despite various challenges, the use of assistive technology such as voice command functions, enabled participants to operate effectively. Regarding mobility, most participants were capable of finding their way in familiar environments. However, if the setting was unfamiliar, assistance from others or reliance on navigation applications was necessary. Participants experienced little issues with having conversations in quiet settings, however, crowded settings were considered very difficult. The final results showed that most participants suffered from fatigue. Carefully considering which daily activities were feasible and having a daily routine helped to cope with fatigue. This study revealed the experiences of individuals with DSL in important areas of life. The results suggest that, even though many challenges are experienced, individuals with DSL are resourceful in finding compensation strategies. However, capturing participants’ sensory compensation experiences was challenging.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85170339088&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272890
DO - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272890
M3 - Article
C2 - 37682938
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 18
JO - PLOS ONE
JF - PLOS ONE
IS - 9 September
M1 - e0272890
ER -