title: The relationship between the speech perception and the degree of satisfaction among adult users of cochlear implants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, the benefits associated with the use of cochlear implants (CIs), especially with regard to speech perception, have proven to surpass those produced by the use of hearing aids, making CIs a highly efficient resource for patients with severe/profound hearing loss. However, few studies so far have assessed the satisfaction of adult users of CIs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the relationship between the level of speech perception and degree of satisfaction of adult users of CI.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the Audiological Research Center (CPA) of the Hospital of Craniofacial Anomalies, University of São Paulo (HRAC/USP), in Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 12 users of CIs with pre-lingual or post-lingual hearing loss participated in this study. The following tools were used in the assessment: a questionnaire, "Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life" (SADL), culturally adapted to Brazilian Portuguese, as well as its relationship with the speech perception results; a speech perception test under quiet conditions; and the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT)Brazil under free field conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants in the study were on the whole satisfied with their devices, and the degree of satisfaction correlated positively with the ability to perceive monosyllabic words under quiet conditions. The satisfaction did not correlate with the level of speech perception in noisy environments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Assessments of satisfaction may help professionals to predict what other factors, in addition to speech perception, may contribute to the satisfaction of CI users in order to reorganize the intervention process to improve the users' quality of life.
authors.affiliation: MSc Graduate student. Master's degree. Speech pathologist and audiologist.
authors.forename: Fernanda Soares
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Granço
authors.affiliation: MSc Graduate student. Master's degree. Speech pathologist and audiologist.
authors.forename: Nayara Freitas
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: PhD in Science. Speech pathologist and audiologist.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morettin
authors.affiliation: Full Professor, Professor in the Speech Therapy Course (Otolaryngologist).
authors.forename: Orozimbo Alves Costa
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.affiliation: Full Professor, Speech Therapist and Audiologist, Speech Therapy Course (Speech Pathologist and Audiologist).
authors.forename: Maria Cecília
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
keywords: Adult; Auditory Perception; Cochlear Implantation; Hearing Loss