Abstract
Aim: There were two aims to this study: to investigate the effect of a cochlear implant (CI) on quality-of-life (QOL) for adult recipients in New Zealand; and to determine which aspects of life that these changes are most noticed.
Method: There were two groups of participants: CI Group - 94 postlingually deafened adult CI recipients; and WL group - 70 postlingually deafened adults on the waiting list (WL) for a CI. Two questionnaires were developed for this study.
Results: The results showed that cochlear implantation had a significant positive impact on QOL for recipients. The CI group had significantly higher ratings in all areas of QOL and satisfaction compared to the WL group.
Conclusion: Overall, high QOL and satisfaction ratings were obtained from CI recipients. The significantly lower ratings from those on the WL for an implant highlight the difficulties experienced by those with a significant hearing impairment. Assessment of CI outcomes should include QOL measures in order to provide a more holistic picture.