Long-term speech discrimination and quality-of-life outcomes in adults implanted before five years of age in a low- and middle-income country

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the long-term results in speech discrimination and quality of life (QoL) in a population of adults with congenital hearing loss who received a cochlear implant during their childhood. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional and observational study including three otology referral hospitals in Bogotá (Colombia). Audiological outcomes (Hearing in Noise Test - HINT results), Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of hearing scale-12 (SSQ-12) scores, Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) scores, and sociodemographic questionnaires were applied to adults with hearing loss who received a cochlear implant between 1995 and 2011. RESULTS: A total of 19 adults with hearing loss were included. For the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) results, the study sample showed an average word repetition rate of 72.8% in fixed noise and 82.3% in a quiet environment. The SSQ-12 scores were p50 of 6.4 for the speech scale, 6.6 for the spatial scale, and 6.75 for the quality of hearing scale. In terms of QoL, 78% of participants reported improvement in GBI score. A positive correlation was observed between older age of implantation, higher quality of life, and better speech discrimination in noisy environments (higher SSQ-12 score). CONCLUSIONS: The patients with cochlear implants from a low/middle-income country included in this study, demonstrated long-term benefits in hearing, speech perception, and quality of life after more than 10 years of implantation.