Validation of the Hearing Implant Sound Quality Index (HISQUI₁₉) to assess Spanish-speaking cochlear implant users’ auditory abilities in everyday communication situations

Abstract

Conclusion: The Spanish-language HISQUI₁₉ is a reliable and easy-to-use tool for quantifying the self-perceived level of auditory benefit that cochlear implant (CI) users experience in everyday listening situations. Objectives: To validate the Spanish-language version of The Hearing Implant Sound Quality Index (HISQUI₁₉), a questionnaire for quantifying the self-perceived level of auditory benefit that CI users experience in everyday listening situations. Methods: Adult Spanish-speaking subjects with a CI were asked to complete a Spanish-language version of the HISQUI₁₉. Reliability of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s α coefficient; exploratory factor analyses with a rotated (varimax) factor solution was applied to check construct validity; external validity was confirmed using Pearson’s correlation. Test–re-test analysis was also performed. The MED-EL Assessment Database was used to assist in the administration, reporting, and data collection. Results: Sixty-six of 77 subjects completed and returned the HISQUI₁₉. The mean score auditory ability score (mean ± standard deviation) of the HISQUI₁₉ was 79.9 ± 24.0, a ‘moderate’ auditory benefit. An inverse relationship was found between the HISQUI₁₉ score and age at implantation. Gender and side of implantation did not influence self-perceived functioning. The objective measures (disyllables tested without lip-reading and in quiet) were correlated with the Total Score.

Keywords:

• Cochlear implant
• HISQUI₁₉
• auditory ability
• speech perception
• adults
• Spanish

Acknowledgements

The authors would kindly like to acknowledge Michael Todd and Edda Amann for medical writing assistance and statistical analyses.

Declaration of interest:

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Supplementary materials are available online