title: Sound quality in adult cochlear implant recipients using the HISQUI19.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  On average, adult CI recipients report a moderate sound quality using the Dutch version of the HISQUI19 questionnaire. These results are correlated with their age, speech perception scores, CI aided hearing thresholds, and the SSQ5 and the APHAB questionnaire.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The general aim of the study was to assess sound quality in adult cochlear implant (CI) recipients and to link these findings to other patients reported outcome measures (PROM) and subject characteristics. Therefore, the Hearing Implant Sound Quality Index (HISQUI19), which was translated into Dutch, was used. This user-friendly instrument quantifies sound quality experienced by hearing implant users.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Dutch version of the original German HISQUI19 was obtained by the process of translation and back-translation. The HISQUI19 was assessed in 65 experienced adult CI users at the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) department of the Antwerp University Hospital to assess a sound quality profile of experiences adult CI recipients. Therefore, descriptive statistics were used to summarize the mean, standard deviation, and ceiling or floor effects of the total HISQUI19 scores in a CI population. Spearman correlations between the HISQUI19 scores and objective audiological measures and other PROM were investigated (APHAB and SSQ5 questionnaire).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean HISQUI19 score of the Dutch version in adult CI recipients was 64.9 (SD = 20.8), which corresponds to moderate sound quality. The psychometric characters of the Dutch questionnaire are similar to the characters of the original HISQUI19 questionnaire, emphasizing good internal consistency (α = 0.93) and construct validity. Moderate correlation was found with speech perception in quiet (r = 0.36, p < 0.01), speech perception in noise (r = 0.29, p < 0.05), CI aided Pure Tone Average (PTA0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) of the subjects (r = 0.34, p < 0.01), and the age of the subject (r = 0.38, p < 0.01). Gender did not influence the experienced sound quality significantly. Furthermore, the relation to other questionnaires was found to be significantly strong (SSQ5: r = 0.68 and the APHAB: r = 0.64; p < 0.01).
authors.affiliation: a 1 University Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital , Edegem, Belgium.|b 2 Antwerp University, dienst Neus- Keel- Oorziekten , Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Griet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.affiliation: a 1 University Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital , Edegem, Belgium.|b 2 Antwerp University, dienst Neus- Keel- Oorziekten , Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleine Punte
authors.affiliation: a 1 University Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital , Edegem, Belgium.|b 2 Antwerp University, dienst Neus- Keel- Oorziekten , Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Bodt
authors.affiliation: a 1 University Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital , Edegem, Belgium.|b 2 Antwerp University, dienst Neus- Keel- Oorziekten , Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650 Edegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van de Heyning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003638:Deafness / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D013017:Sound Localization / Q000502:physiology*; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult