Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40962350›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Health and social service use by adults before and after cochlear implantation: a national population-level retrospective cohort study in Australia.

Tolesa Okuba, Reidar P Lystad, Isabelle Boisvert, Anne McMaugh, Robyn Cantle Moore Moore, Peter Wolnizer, Cassidy Chow, Ramya Walson, Rebecca Mitchell

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In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Tolesa OkubaAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia tolesa.okuba@mq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9335-0012
Reidar P LystadAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0506-0902
Isabelle BoisvertUniversity of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Anne McMaughDepartment of Educational Studies, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.
Robyn Cantle Moore MooreNextSense Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Peter WolnizerFaculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Cassidy ChowDepartment of Linguistics, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Ramya WalsonAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Rebecca MitchellAustralian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1939-1761

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo examine health and social service use pre- and post-cochlear implant in adults.

designA retrospective cohort study.

settingAll public and private hospitals in Australia.

participantsA total of 3033 adults aged ≥18 years who received a cochlear implant in Australia between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018 were included. Participants were followed for 3 years pre-implant date and 3 years post-implant date or until death. Data were sourced from the Person Level Integrated Data Asset. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The study examined the (i) number of visits to general practitioners (GPs), specialists and audiologists; (ii) fee charged, benefit paid and out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses for health services; (iii) personal income; (iv) completion of higher education and post-high school vocational education and training and (v) number of government benefits and concession cards received.

resultsThe mean age of adults at cochlear implantation was 63.3 years (SD 16.1). Over the 3 years period before and after implantation, the mean number of GP visits remained stable (24.5 pre-implant vs 24.7 post-implant), specialist visits decreased (6.4 pre-implant vs 5.3 post-implant) and audiologist visits increased (1.7 pre-implant vs 6.6 post-implant). Higher GP visit rates were observed both pre- and post-implantation among females (RR 1.13 vs 1.14), older adults (RR 1.06 vs 1.15), individuals needing assistance with daily activities (RR 1.11 vs 1.12), individuals with chronic health conditions (RR 1.25 vs 1.34), with ≥6 RxRisk comorbidities (RR 2.35 vs 2.22) and adults residing in socio-economically disadvantaged areas (RR 1.64 vs 1.19). Mental health conditions were associated with increased specialist visits pre- and post-implantation (RR 2.57 vs 2.53), while employed individuals had higher specialist visit rates post-implantation (RR 1.58). Average OOP costs for health services decreased by 31.4% post-implant. Government benefits were higher pre-implant (55.6%) than post-implant (44.4%). Females and adults needing assistance with activities of daily living were more likely to seek government benefits.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the need for tailored healthcare and social support services to address the diverse needs of cochlear implant users, ensuring comprehensive care and support throughout their healthcare journey.

Indexed as

Cochlear ImplantationPatient Acceptance of Health CareAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAustraliaCochlear ImplantsFemaleHealth ExpendituresHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesAudiologyHealth ServicesHearingOTOLARYNGOLOGYPUBLIC HEALTHSocial Support

Identifiers

PMID40962350
PMCPMC12443207

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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.