Bibliography: leaves 199-215. / 215 leaves ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Reports on the prevalence of hearing impairment, and the quality-of-life of hearing impaired adults in South Australia, using a study group aged 15 years or older. Questions the value of previous Australian hearing studies, which were based on self-reported disability. The quality-of-life study which compared scores for the hearing impaired with people suffering other chronic conditions, and a control group, shows that the severe hearing impaired group had quality-of-life scores below that of the control group and the norm for the population. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Community Medicine, 1997