The Glasgow benefit inventory in the evaluation of patient satisfaction with the bone-anchored hearing aid: quality of life issues.

The Birmingham osseointegration programme began in 1988 and during the following 10 years there were a total of 351 bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) implantees. In the summer of 2000, a postal questionnaire study was undertaken to establish the impact of the bone-anchored hearing aid on all aspects of patients' lives. We used the Glasgow benefit inventory (GBI), which is a subjective patient orientated post-interventional questionnaire especially developed to evaluate any otorhinolaryngological surgery and therapy. It is maximally sensitive to any change in health status brought about by a specific event: in this case the provision of a BAHA. A total of 312 bone-anchored hearing aid patients, who had used their aids for a minimum period of six months, were sent GBI questionnaires. Two hundred and twenty-seven questionnaires were returned and utilized in the study. The results revealed that the use of a bone-anchored hearing aid significantly enhanced general well being (patient benefit), improved the patient's state of health (quality of life) and finally was considered a success by patients and their families.