Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Psychological well-being among cochlear implant users: a comparison with the general population
Silje Hammervold Rembar1, Ola Lind, Pål Romundstad
1Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. silje.hammervold.rembar@gmail.com
Objectives:
In this study, we describe the psychological well-being experienced by cochlear implant users, and compare it to that of the general population in Norway.
Methods:
We conducted a questionnaire-based cross-sectional multicentre study, in which 53 of 73 (73%) unilateral cochlear implant users and 177 of 318 (56%) matched reference subjects from the general population participated. Psychological well-being was measured by the Psychological General Well-being Index (PGWB). The indexes of the cochlear implant users and the general population sample were compared using ordinary linear regression, adjusting for the matching variables.
Results:
Mean age of the cochlear implant users was 56 (SD 16) years, 66% of them were females, and they had used their implants for a mean of 18 (SD 6) months. The distribution of socio-demographic variables was similar to that of the general population sample. We found no difference in mean PGWB index between the cochlear implant users and the general population sample with indexes of 85.5 and 83.4, respectively. The 95% confidence interval for the adjusted difference was -3.0 to 6.9. The cochlear implant users had slightly better scores in the dimensions general health and vitality.
Discussion:
The cochlear implant users experienced a psychological well-being similar to that of the general population.
