*University Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, and †Faculty of Medicine, Antwerp University, Belgium.
Otol Neurotol. 2013 Dec;34(9):1622-9. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0b013e31829ce980.
Routine clinical assessment to evaluate the hearing performance in a cochlear implant (CI) population should include individual self-assessment tools. Because of pragmatic and psychometric considerations, there's a growing need for reduced self-assessment questionnaires. The aim of the study is twofold. First, the study aims to ascertain a disability profile, using the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ), in a CI population and to compare this profile with a hearing impaired group with similar average hearing thresholds. The second aim of the study is to investigate the degree of agreement between the total SSQ scores and the total scores of the reduced 5-item version of the SSQ, namely, the SSQ5.
This cross-sectional study uses the SSQ obtained from CI patients from the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) department of the Antwerp University Hospital. Fifty-four postlingually deaf CI patients completed the SSQ questionnaire. All subjects were implanted with a CI at an average age of 55 years. At the time they completed the questionnaire, they had, on average, 3 (SD, 3) years of CI experience. To determine the disability profile in a CI population, the following criteria were assayed: standard values, internal consistency, sensitivity, and floor (or ceiling) effects of the SSQ. These criteria were compared with those of a hearing-impaired group (n = 153) reported in the original study.Second, Spearman correlations coefficients and intraclass correlations coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine the degree of agreement between the total SSQ scores and the total SSQ5 scores.
Analysis of internal consistency, sensitivity, and floor and ceiling effects showed that self-assessment using the SSQ is feasible in a CI population. The obtained disability profile presents a mean total SSQ(C I group) of 4:25 ( S D = 1:65). When comparing item results, significant differences were found between CI users and moderate hearing-impaired patients (SSQ(hearing impaired group) = 5.5; S D1:9). Intraclass correlation (ICC = 0.78; p < 0.01) and Spearman correlations coefficients (R = 0.77; p < 0.01) indicate a significantly high degree of agreement between the total SSQ scores and the total SSQ5 scores.
This article shows the disability profile in a CI population, using SSQ. Significant differences regarding dynamic aspects of hearing between CI users and moderate hearing-impaired patients were found, to the detriment of the CI users. The static aspects of hearing represented in the Speech section, on the other hand, showed more similarities. The reduced 5-item version of the SSQ, namely, the SSQ5, is robust to effectively measure evolutions in hearing (dis)abilities in CI users.
评估人工耳蜗（CI）人群听力表现的常规临床评估应包括个体自我评估工具。由于实用和心理测量方面的考虑，对简化的自我评估问卷的需求日益增长。本研究的目的有两个。首先，使用言语、空间和听觉质量量表（SSQ）确定 CI 人群的残疾情况，并将该情况与具有相似平均听力阈值的听力受损组进行比较。研究的第二个目的是调查 SSQ 总分与简化的 5 项 SSQ 总分（即 SSQ5）之间的一致性程度。
这项横断面研究使用了安特卫普大学医院耳鼻喉科（ENT）的 CI 患者的 SSQ。54 名后天性聋 CI 患者完成了 SSQ 问卷。所有受试者均在平均年龄 55 岁时植入 CI。在他们完成问卷时，他们平均有 3（标准差，3）年的 CI 经验。为了确定 CI 人群的残疾情况，评估了以下标准：SSQ 的标准值、内部一致性、敏感性和地板（或天花板）效应。将这些标准与原始研究中报告的听力受损组（n=153）的标准进行了比较。其次，使用 Spearman 相关系数和组内相关系数（ICC）来确定 SSQ 总分与 SSQ5 总分之间的一致性程度。
内部一致性、敏感性和地板及天花板效应的分析表明，SSQ 可用于 CI 人群的自我评估。获得的残疾情况显示 CI 人群的平均 SSQ（CI 组）为 4:25（标准差=1:65）。当比较项目结果时，CI 用户与中度听力受损患者之间存在显著差异（SSQ（听力受损组）=5.5；标准差 1：9）。组内相关（ICC=0.78；p<0.01）和 Spearman 相关系数（R=0.77；p<0.01）表明 SSQ 总分与 SSQ5 总分之间具有高度一致的关系。
本文使用 SSQ 展示了 CI 人群的残疾情况。发现 CI 用户与中度听力受损患者在听力动态方面存在显著差异，对 CI 用户不利。另一方面，言语部分所代表的听力静态方面则表现出更多的相似性。简化的 5 项 SSQ，即 SSQ5，能够有效地衡量 CI 用户听力（障碍）的变化。
