Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Quality of Life in Adult Cochlear Implant Users: ICF-Based Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Health Outcomes Research

Background:

• Assessing quality of life (QoL) in adults with cochlear implants (CIs) is crucial for understanding treatment effectiveness.
• Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are key tools for QoL assessment.
• The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) provides a framework for comprehensive health assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the most frequently used PROMs for QoL assessment in adult CI recipients.
• To evaluate how well these PROMs align with the domains of the ICF framework.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed and Web of Science.
• Included studies focused on adults with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss using standardized PROMs for QoL.
• PROMs were analyzed and mapped to ICF categories.

Main Results:

• Forty studies identified 13 distinct PROMs; the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) was most prevalent.
• The "activities and participation" domain was most frequently covered by PROMs.
• Several PROMs, including the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) and EQ-5D, failed to address environmental factors.

Conclusions:

• The NCIQ is the leading PROM for CI users' QoL, but it has limitations.
• Many PROMs neglect crucial aspects like environmental factors, potentially missing real-world challenges.
• Adopting the ICF framework can enhance the comprehensiveness and relevance of PROMs for CI recipients.