Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37079589›Full record

ArticlePloS one2023

The impact of tinnitus on adult cochlear implant recipients: A mixed-method approach.

Kelly K S Assouly, Maryam Shabbir, Bas van Dijk, Derek J Hoare, Michael A Akeroyd, Robert J Stokroos, Inge Stegeman, Adriana L Smit

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 45% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Kelly K S AssoulyDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0003-2667-9499
Maryam ShabbirHearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Bas van DijkCochlear Technology Centre, Mechelen, Belgium.
Derek J HoareHearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Michael A AkeroydHearing Sciences, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
Robert J StokroosDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Inge StegemanDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Adriana L SmitDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Utrecht University · NLUniversity of Nottingham · GB

Funding

Department of Health
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTinnitus is a common problem in patients with a cochlear implant (CI). Between 4% and 25% of CI recipients experience a moderate to severe tinnitus handicap. However, apart from handicap scores, little is known about the real-life impact tinnitus has on those with CIs. We aimed to explore the impact of tinnitus on adult CI recipients, situations impacting tinnitus, tinnitus-related difficulties and their management strategies, using an exploratory sequential mixed-method approach.

methodsA 2-week web-based forum was conducted using Cochlear Ltd.'s online platform, Cochlear Conversation. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data from the forum discussion to develop key themes and sub-themes. To quantify themes and sub-themes identified, a survey was developed in English with face validity using cognitive interviews, then translated into French, German and Dutch and disseminated on the Cochlear Conversation platform, in six countries (Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands and United Kingdom). Participants were adult CI recipients experiencing tinnitus who received a Cochlear Ltd. CI after 18 years of age.

resultsFour key themes were identified using thematic analysis of the discussion forum: tinnitus experience, situations impacting tinnitus, difficulties associated with tinnitus and tinnitus management. Among the 414 participants of the survey, tinnitus burden on average was a moderate problem without their sound processor and not a problem with the sound processor on. Fatigue, stress, concentration, group conversation and hearing difficulties were the most frequently reported difficulties and was reported to intensify when not wearing the sound processor. For most CI recipients, tinnitus seemed to increase when performing a hearing test, during a CI programming session, or when tired, stressed, or sick. To manage their tinnitus, participants reported turning on their sound processor and avoiding noisy environments.

conclusionThe qualitative analysis showed that tinnitus can affect everyday life of CI recipients in various ways and highlighted the heterogeneity in their tinnitus experiences. The survey findings extended this to show that tinnitus impact, related difficulties, and management strategies often depend on sound processor use. This exploratory sequential mixed-method study provided a better understanding of the potential benefits of sound processor use, and thus of intracochlear electrical stimulation, on the impact of tinnitus.

Indexed as

Cochlear ImplantationCochlear ImplantsHearing LossSpeech PerceptionTinnitusAdultHumans

Identifiers

PMID37079589
PMCPMC10118117
OpenAlexW4366462781

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.