Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of E.N.T

Cochlear implantation (CI) is a well established method for the treatment of deaf and profoundly hearing-impaired patients due to sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) (Clark, 2003). CI affects not only hearing abilities, speech perception and speech production; it also has an outstanding impact on the social life, activities and self-esteem of each patient. To measure and objectify this comprehensive effect the term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been defined (sanders et al, 1998). Although multiple definitions of HRQoL exist (Fitzpatrick et al, 1998) it is usually utilized as patients{u2019} emotional, social and physical well-being, including their ability to function in the ordinary tasks of living. The vague definition of HRQoL leads to a variety of instruments that are proposed to measure HRQoL (Sanders et al, 1998). This also applies for the measurement of HRQoL in patients with cochlear implantation since various HRQoL instruments have been used to evaluate the improvement of cochlear implantation and changes over time. Its measurement can serve as an addition to audiological performance and can provide a determining factor to perform systematic comparisons between groups, different treatment strategies and change over time

Issued also as CD