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Updated: Sep 21, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Relationship Between Age, Auditory Performance, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged and Older Cochlear Implant Users
1Gaziantep University Graduate School of Health Sciences Institute, Gaziantep, Turkey.
Background:
Aging can result in hearing loss, and cochlear implants (CIs) provide an effective means for auditory rehabilitation. We evaluated the impact of age on CI outcomes.
Purpose:
This study aimed to examine the effects of aging on auditory performance and quality of life in individuals who underwent unilateral cochlear implantation.
Research Design:
This study was designed as a cross-sectional study.
Study Sample:
Participants included individuals with postlingual, profound sensorineural hearing loss who had undergone unilateral cochlear implantation. Two groups were formed: those aged 40-59 years (Group 1) and those aged ≥60 years (Group 2). There were 31 participants in Group 1 and 33 participants in Group 2, totaling 64 participants (30 women [46.88 percent] and 34 men [53.13 percent]).
Intervention:
Quality of life was measured using the Turkish version of The World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), and depression levels were assessed using Beck's Depression Inventory. To assess auditory performance, free-field audiometry included pure-tone threshold at 0.5-4 kHz, speech recognition threshold, speech discrimination, and spectral-temporally modulated ripple test measurements.
Data Collection And Analysis:
The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of the numerical variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare WHOQOL-BREF scores and auditory performance between groups, and the chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Relationships between numerical variables were assessed using Spearman's correlation coefficient.
Results:
The older group exhibited significantly poorer auditory performance and quality of life scores across multiple dimensions (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences in depression levels were observed between the groups (p = 0.198).
Conclusions:
Age considerably influences auditory performance and quality of life in CI users. These findings underscore the importance of tailored rehabilitation approaches for this population.
Clinical Relevance Statement:
The results of this study show that aging negatively affects the auditory performance and quality of life of CI users. Moreover, CI alone is insufficient to fully improve quality of life in older individuals, highlighting the need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to address aging-related neurological and sensory changes.
