Hearing health care access for adult cochlear implant candidates and recipients: Travel time and socioeconomic status.

Autor: Davis AG; Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Department of Allied Health Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA., Hicks KL; Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA., Dillon MT; Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Department of Allied Health Sciences University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA.; Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA., Overton AB; Department of Audiology UNC Health Chapel Hill North Carolina USA., Roth N; Department of Audiology UNC Health Chapel Hill North Carolina USA., Richter ME; Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA., Dedmon MM; Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill North Carolina USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Laryngoscope investigative otolaryngology [Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol] 2023 Jan 17; Vol. 8 (1), pp. 296-302. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jan 17 (Print Publication: 2023).
DOI: 10.1002/lio2.1010
Abstrakt: Objectives: Access to cochlear implantation may be negatively influenced by extended travel time to a cochlear implant (CI) center or lower socioeconomic status (SES) for the individual. There is a critical need to understand the influence of these variables on patient appointment attendance for candidacy evaluations, and CI recipients' adherence to post-activation follow-up recommendations that support optimal outcomes.
Methods: A retrospective chart review of adult patients referred to a CI center in North Carolina for initial cochlear implantation candidacy evaluation between April 2017 and July 2019 was conducted. Demographic and audiologic data were collected for each patient. Travel time was determined using geocoding. SES was proxied using ZCTA-level Social Deprivation Index (SDI) information. Independent samples t tests compared variables between those who did and did not attend the candidacy evaluation. Pearson correlations assessed the association of these variables and the duration of time between initial CI activation and return for first follow-up visit.
Results: Three hundred and ninety patients met the inclusion criteria. There was a statistically significant difference between SDI of those who attended their candidacy evaluation versus those who did not. Age at referral or travel time did not show statistical significance between these two groups. There was no significant correlation with age at referral, travel time, or SDI with the duration of time (days) between initial activation and the 1-month follow-up.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that SES may influence a patient's ability to attend a cochlear implantation candidacy evaluation appointment and may further impact the decision to pursue cochlear implantation.Level of evidence: 4 - Case Series.
Competing Interests: MTD and MER are supported by a research grant provided to their university by MED‐EL Corporation. ABO serves on the Audiology Advisory Boards for Advanced Bionics and MED‐EL Corporation and is a consultant for Cochlear Corporation.
(© 2023 The Authors. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of The Triological Society.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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