OBJECTIVE: Children with hearing loss who use cochlear implants have lower quality of life (QoL) in social situations and lower self-esteem than hearing peers. The child's QoL has been assessed primarily by asking the parent rather than asking the child. This poses a problem because parents have difficulty judging less observable aspects like self-esteem and socio-emotional functioning, the domains most affected by hearing loss. METHODS: This case-control study evaluated QoL in 50 preschoolers using a cochlear implant and their parents with the Kiddy KINDL(®), an established QoL measure. Children's responses were compared to a hearing control group and correlated with demographic variables. We used a questionnaire for parents and a face-to-face interview with children. T-tests were used to compare (a) paired parent-child ratings and (b) children with cochlear implants versus normal hearing. Pearson rank correlations were used to compare QoL with demographic variables. RESULTS: Children using cochlear implants rated overall QoL significantly more positively than their parents (M(Difference)=4.22, p=.03). Child rating of QoL did not differ significantly by auditory status (cochlear implant (82.8) vs. hearing (80.8), p=.42). Overall QoL correlated inversely with cochlear implant experience and chronologic age, but did not correlate with implantation age. CONCLUSIONS: Preschool children using cochlear implants can assess adequately their own QoL, but parents afford valuable complementary perspective on the child's socio-emotional and physical well-being. Preschool children using cochlear implants rate overall QoL measures similar to hearing peers. A constellation of QoL measures should be collected to yield a better understanding of general QoL as well as specific domains centered on hearing loss.
OBJECTIVE:Children with hearing loss who use cochlear implants have lower quality of life (QoL) in social situations and lower self-esteem than hearing peers. The child's QoL has been assessed primarily by asking the parent rather than asking the child. This poses a problem because parents have difficulty judging less observable aspects like self-esteem and socio-emotional functioning, the domains most affected by hearing loss. METHODS: This case-control study evaluated QoL in 50 preschoolers using a cochlear implant and their parents with the Kiddy KINDL(®), an established QoL measure. Children's responses were compared to a hearing control group and correlated with demographic variables. We used a questionnaire for parents and a face-to-face interview with children. T-tests were used to compare (a) paired parent-child ratings and (b) children with cochlear implants versus normal hearing. Pearson rank correlations were used to compare QoL with demographic variables. RESULTS:Children using cochlear implants rated overall QoL significantly more positively than their parents (M(Difference)=4.22, p=.03). Child rating of QoL did not differ significantly by auditory status (cochlear implant (82.8) vs. hearing (80.8), p=.42). Overall QoL correlated inversely with cochlear implant experience and chronologic age, but did not correlate with implantation age. CONCLUSIONS: Preschool children using cochlear implants can assess adequately their own QoL, but parents afford valuable complementary perspective on the child's socio-emotional and physical well-being. Preschool children using cochlear implants rate overall QoL measures similar to hearing peers. A constellation of QoL measures should be collected to yield a better understanding of general QoL as well as specific domains centered on hearing loss.
Authors: Harald J Hamre; Claudia M Witt; Anja Glockmann; Renatus Ziegler; Stefan N Willich; Helmut Kiene Journal: BMC Complement Altern Med Date: 2007-04-23 Impact factor: 3.659
Authors: Emily A Tobey; Lana Britt; Ann Geers; Philip Loizou; Betty Loy; Peter Roland; Andrea Warner-Czyz; Charles G Wright Journal: J Am Acad Audiol Date: 2012-06 Impact factor: 1.664
Authors: Betty Loy; Andrea D Warner-Czyz; Liyue Tong; Emily A Tobey; Peter S Roland Journal: Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2010-02 Impact factor: 3.497
Authors: Rachel L Meserole; Christine M Carson; Anne W Riley; Nae-Yuh Wang; Alexandra L Quittner; Laurie S Eisenberg; Emily A Tobey; Howard W Francis; John K Niparko Journal: Qual Life Res Date: 2013-08-23 Impact factor: 4.147