Health-Related Quality of Life in Hearing-Impaired Children and Adolescents in Montenegro

Authors

  • Elvir Zvrko Clinical center of Montenegro, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro
  • Tanja Cadjenovic Nikolic
  • Milena Pupovic
  • Maja Jovanovic
  • Danilo Pot

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5457/ams.v54i2.790

Keywords:

Cochlear implant, Hearing aid, Hearing impairment, KINDL-R, Quality of life

Abstract

The aim was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Montenegrin children with hearing aids (HA) or cochlear implants (CI) at school age and to analyze parental views of their children HRQoL. The total number of children and parents who participated was as follows: 25 children with HA and 38 parents, 19 children with CI and 26 parents, and 30 children with normal hearing and 31 parents. Children and parents were surveyed with the KINDL-R instrument. The children with HA reported significantly worse HRQoL than the NH group in overall HRQoL score, in everyday functioning, family, and friends subscales. The difference between the children with CI and NH was nearly statistically significant (p=0.099). Parents estimated that children with NH had significantly better HRQoL in the total mean and physical well-being, emotional well-being, self-esteem and friends subscales than children with HA. We found statistically significant positive correlations between parents' and children's responses on the family and everyday functioning subscales for the HA and CI group. The children with HA assessed HRQoL similarly to children with CI and significantly lower than NH children. Children with CI achieved similar HRQoL to NH peers.

References

Yigider AP, Yilmaz S, Ulusoy H, Kara T, Kufeciler L, Kaya KH. Emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents with hearing loss and their effects on quality of life. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2020; 137: 110245. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2020.110245.

WHO. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss (lat accessed on 21 January 2023).

Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment. The WHOQOL Group. Psychol Med. 1998; 28(3): 551-8. doi: 10.1017/s0033291798006667.

Guyatt GH, Naylor CD, Juniper E, Heyland DK, Jaeschke R, Cook DJ. Users' guides to the medical literature. XII. How to use articles about health-related quality of life. Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA. 1997; 277(15): 1232-7. doi: 10.1001/jama.277.15.1232.

Ravens- Sieberer U, Gosch A, Abel T, Auquier P, Bellach BM, Bruil J et al. European KIDSCREEN Group. Quality of life in children and adolescents: a European public health perspective. Soz Praventivmed. 2001; 46(5): 294-302. doi: 10.1007/BF01321080.

Huber M. Health-related quality of life of Austrian children and adolescents with cochlear implants. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2005; 69(8): 1089-101. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2005.02.018.

Looi V, Lee ZZ, Loo JH. Quality of life outcomes for children with hearing impairment in Singapore. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2016; 80: 88-100. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2015.11.011.

Beadle EA, Shores A, Wood EJ. Parental perceptions of the impact upon the family of cochlear implantation in children. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl. 2000; 185: 111-4. doi: 10.1177/0003489400109s1248.

Barton GR, Stacey PC, Fortnum HM, Summerfield AQ. Hearing-impaired children in the United Kingdom, II: Cochlear implantation and the cost of compulsory education. Ear Hear .2006; 27(2): 187-207. doi: 10.1097/01.aud.0000202348.77016.1f.

Zhumabayev R, Zhumabayeva G, Kapanova G, Tulepbekova N, Akhmetzhan A, Grjibovski A. Quality of life in children with cochlear implants in Kazakhstan. BMC Pediatr. 2022; 22(1): 194. doi: 10.1186/s12887-022-03254-w.

Warner-Czyz AD, Loy B, Roland PS, Tong L, Tobey EA. Parent versus child assessment of quality of life in children using cochlear implants. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2009; 73(10): 1423-9. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2009.07.009.

Lovett RE, Kitterick PT, Hewitt CE, Summerfield AQ. Bilateral or unilateral cochlear implantation for deaf children: an observational study. Arch Dis Child. 2010; 95(2): 107-12. doi: 10.1136/adc.2009.160325.

Sahli S, Belgin E. Comparison of self-esteem level of adolescents with cochlear implant and normal hearing. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2006; 70(9): 1601-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2006.05.003.

Niemensivu R, Roine RP, Sintonen H, Kentala E. Health-related quality of life in hearing-impaired adolescents and children. Acta Otolaryngol. 2018; 138(7): 652-8. doi: 10.1080/00016489.2018.1438661.

Ravens-Sieberer U, Bullinger M. Assessing health-related quality of life in chronically ill children with the German KINDL: first psychometric and content analytical results. Qual Life Res. 1998; 7(5): 399-407. doi: 10.1023/a:1008853819715.

Stevanovic D, Lakic A, Vilotic J. The psychometric study of the Serbian KINDL questionnaire for health-related quality of life assessment in children and adolescents. Scand J Caring Sci. 2009; 23(2): 361-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2008.00617.x.

Roland L, Fischer C, Tran K, Rachakonda T, Kallogjeri D, Lieu JE. Quality of life in children with hearing impairment: systematic review and meta-analysis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016; 155(2): 208-19. doi: 10.1177/0194599816640485.

Alegre-de la Rosa OM, Villar-Angulo LM. Health-related quality of life in children who use cochlear implants or hearing aids. Heliyon. 2020; 6(1): e03114. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03114.

Pérez-Mora R, Lassaletta L, Castro A, Herrán B, San-Román-Montero J, Valiente E et al. Quality of life in hearing-impaired children with bilateral hearing devices. B-ENT. 2012; 8(4): 251-5.

Hintermair M. Health-related quality of life and classroom participation of deaf and hard-of-hearing students in general schools. J Deaf Stud Deaf Educ. 2011; 16(2): 254-71. doi: 10.1093/deafed/enq045.

Huber M, Kipman U. The mental health of deaf adolescents with cochlear implants compared to their hearing peers. Int J Audiol. 2011; 50(3): 146-54. doi: 10.3109/14992027.2010.533704.

Loy B, Warner-Czyz AD, Tong L, Tobey EA, Roland PS. The children speak: an examination of the quality of life of pediatric cochlear implant users. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg .2010; 142(2): 247-53. doi: 10.1016/j.otohns.2009.10.045.

Borton SA, Mauze E, Lieu JE. Quality of life in children with unilateral hearing loss: a pilot study. Am J Audiol. 2010; 19(1): 61-72. doi: 10.1044/1059-0889(2010/07-0043).

Kumar R, Warner-Czyz A, Silver CH, Loy B, Tobey E. American parent perspectives on quality of life in pediatric cochlear implant recipients. Ear Hear. 2015; 36(2): 269-78. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000108.

Eiser C, Varni JW. Health-related quality of life and symptom reporting: similarities and differences between children and their parents. Eur J Pediatr. 2013; 172(10): 1299-304. doi: 10.1007/s00431-013-2049-9.

Downloads

Published

2025-03-06

Issue

Vol. 54 No. 2 (2024)

Section

Original papers

License

Copyright transfer

The listed authors warrant that they are the authors and sole owners of the submitted manuscript. The authors also warrant that the work is original; that it has not been previously published in print or electronic format and is not under consideration by another publisher or electronic medium; that it has not been previously transferred, assigned, or otherwise encumbered; and that the authors have full power to grant such rights. With respect to the results of this work, the manuscript of this or substantially similar content will not be submitted to any other journal until the review process in the Acta Medica Salinianana has been officially completed (acceptance or rejection of the manuscript). The paper will not be withdrawn from the review process by the Acta Medica Saliniana Editorial Board until the review process is completed. The authors will comply with the requests of the Acta Medica Saliniana Editors and reviewers to improve the paper for publication. The eventual disagreements will be submitted in a written form; the authors are aware that the disagreement(s) with the Acta Medica Saliniana requests may result in the rejection of the manuscript. The authors hereby grant to the Acta Medica Saliniana the right to edit, revise, abridge, and condense the manuscript. If the manuscript is accepted for publication in the Acta Medica Saliniana, the authors hereby transfer the copyright of the paper to the Acta Medica Saliniana. The authors permit the Acta Medica Saliniana to allow third parties to copy any part of the journal without asking for permission, provided that the reference to the source is given. For papers with more than one author: All other co-authors agree to allow the corresponding author to make decisions regarding prepublication release of the information in the paper to the media, federal agencies, or both.