Evaluations of 3M/House single-channel and nucleus multichannel cochlear implants

3M/House single-channel (n = 158) and Nucleus multichannel (n = 71) adult cochlear implant users were surveyed about their devices. In comparison to the 3M/House users, the Nucleus users reported better speech and environmental sounds perception and more hours of daily use. However, Nucleus users also were more likely to report that the expense of upkeep and frequent movement of external parts of their implants were problems. On average, users in both groups were satisfied and felt that their implants had positively affected their lifestyle, enjoyment of social events, and employability. Differences between groups regarding these variables were not found. Multiple regression indicated that the users' ratings of the effects of their implants on speech perception, environmental sounds perception, enjoyment of social events, and lifestyle were all statistically significant predictors of satisfaction. It was concluded that the majority of the users in either group thought their devices provided real-world benefits.