Predictors of health-related quality of life in adult cochlear implant recipients in South Africa.
To identify and describe predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes for adult cochlear implant (CI) recipients in South Africa.



A retrospective study of adult CI recipients was conducted and cross-sectional HRQoL outcome data were added at the time of data collection, using the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ). Twenty-two potential predictive factors were identified from the retrospective dataset, including demographic, hearing loss, CI and risk-related factors. Multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictor variables that influence HRQoL outcomes.



The study sample included 100 adult CI recipients from four CI programs, implanted for at least 12 months.



History of no tinnitus prior to CI, bilateral implantation and mainstream schooling were strongly predictive of better overall HRQoL outcomes. Factors such as age, age at implant, gender, onset of hearing loss, duration of CI use and presence of risk factors did not predict HRQoL scores.



A range of significant prognostic indicators were identified for HRQoL outcomes in adult CI recipients. These predictors of HRQoL outcomes can guide intervention services' informational counselling.
a Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
Talita
T
le Roux
a Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.|b Speech-Language Audiology Department , Ghent University , Gent , Belgium.
Bart
B
Vinck
c Department of Otorhinolaryngology , University of the Free State , Bloemfontein , South Africa.
Iain
I
Butler
d Department of Statistics , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.
Liebie
L
Louw
e Johannesburg Cochlear Implant Program , Johannesburg , South Africa.
Leone
L
Nauta
f Department of Speech Therapy and Audiology , Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital , Soweto , South Africa.
Dani
D
Schlesinger
a Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology , University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa.|g Ear Sciences Centre, School of Surgery, University of Western Australia , Nedlands , Australia , and.|h Ear Science Institute Australia , Subiaco , Australia.
De Wet
W
Swanepoel
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001307:Auditory Perception; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
Adult cochlear implantation; Nijmegen cochlear implant questionnaire; cochlear implant; health-related quality of life; outcomes; quality of life