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Otology/Neurotology

(864) Non-Auditory Factors and Hearing-Related Quality of Life in Adult Cochlear Implant Candidates

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Presenting Author(s)

Laiken E. Griffith, BA

Medical Student
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Co-Author(s)

AT

Andrew L. S Thornton, BA

Medical Student Research Fellow
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
JL

Jack Y. Lin, BS

Medical Student
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
Nashville, TN, United States
Margaret L. Wilson, BA

Clinical Research Coordinator
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
BS

Barak M. Spector, BS

Medical Student Research Fellow
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, United States
David S. Haynes, MD, MMHC, FACS

Professor of Otolaryngology and Hearing and Speech Sciences, Chief of the Neurotology, CXO of VUMC
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Senior Author(s)

Aaron C. Moberly, MD

Associate Professor
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Introduction: Cochlear implant (CI) candidates demonstrate substantial variability in preoperative hearing-related quality of life (HRQOL). Traditional evaluation of factors related to HRQOL has focused on hearing-related demographic and audiometric measures. However, emerging evidence suggests that non-auditory factors may also contribute to HRQOL. Our objective was to examine the relationships between preoperative HRQOL and socioeconomic measures, depressed mood, and cognition in adult CI candidates.

Methods: Adult CI candidates (n=30) were enrolled from 2023 to 2025. HRQOL was measured using the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life-Global (CIQOL Global) instrument. Non-auditory factors included socioeconomic measures of household income, years of education completed, depressed mood and anhedonia on the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and cognition using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment–Hearing Impaired (MoCA-HI). Spearman correlations were used to assess associations with CIQOL Global scores.

Results: Mean age was 72.5±7.4 years (64% male, 36% female). Higher CIQOL Global scores were significantly associated with greater years of education (rho = 0.45, p = 0.006) and higher cognitive scores on the MoCA-HI (rho = 0.34, p = 0.031). A trend was found for lower CIQOL Global with higher levels of depressed mood and anhedonia (rho = -0.29, p = 0.063). No associations were found between CIQOL Global and household income.

Conclusions: Preoperative HRQOL in adult CI candidates may be associated with non-auditory measures of education level and cognitive functioning. These findings underscore the relevance of non-auditory assessments as contributors to HRQOL and their potential value in the preoperative evaluation of CI candidates to inform patient counseling.