Effects of a global pandemic on access to cochlear implantation in children with congenital hearing loss

IF 1.3 4区医学 Q3 OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY

International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology Pub Date : 2025-08-13 DOI:10.1016/j.ijporl.2025.112510

Jordan McNair, Jennifer Coto, Simon I. Angeli, Michelle Coppola, Samantha Espinal, Chrisanda M. Sanchez, Ivette Cejas, Meredith A. Holcomb

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Abstract

Objectives

To highlight the impact of COVID-19 on the timeline from diagnosis to cochlear implantation (CI) for children with congenital hearing loss (HL) at a diverse multidisciplinary cochlear implant center.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was completed for congenitally deafened children (n = 102) age 0–18 years who underwent first ear CI at our clinic. Patients were stratified into pre- (n = 49) and post- (n = 53) COVID-19 pandemic groups for analysis. Most patients were male (54.9 %), Hispanic (62.7 %), White (72.5 %), and had Medicaid/Managed care insurance (67.6 %). Over half listed English as their primary language (55.9 %) followed by Spanish (38.2 %). Most had an etiology of HL due to hereditary/genetic factors (73.6 %).

Results

Initial analyses between demographic factors (e.g., ethnicity, primary language) and outcome variables revealed no significant differences. No significant differences were found in pre- and post-COVID groups in time between HL evaluation and CI evaluation, time between HL evaluation and first ear CI, and in mean age at first ear CI between the pre- and post-COVID groups. Interestingly, differences in time between first HL evaluation at our clinic and second ear CI surgery pre- and post-COVID were found, with patients pre-COVID undergoing their second CI surgery approximately 7 months later than the patients post-COVID (M = 17.66 months, SD = 15.66; M = 10.76, SD = 10.62).

Conclusion

COVID-19 did not negatively impact our timeline from diagnosis to CI for children with congenital HL. In fact, time between 1st and 2nd sequential CI improved post-COVID and provided quicker access to binaural hearing. Additionally, our English and Spanish speaking groups had equitable access pre- and post-COVID to audiological and HL treatment services regardless of preferred language. Overall, actions taken to minimize the impact of COVID restrictions allowed our clinic to maintain and, in some areas, improve access to CI for children with congenital HL from a diverse patient population.

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全球大流行对先天性听力损失儿童获得人工耳蜗植入的影响

目的了解新冠肺炎疫情对先天性听力损失（HL）患儿从诊断到人工耳蜗植入（CI）时间的影响。方法回顾性分析102例0 ~ 18岁先天性耳聋儿童（n = 102）行首耳CI的病例。将患者分为COVID-19大流行前组（n = 49）和大流行后组（n = 53）进行分析。大多数患者为男性（54.9%），西班牙裔（62.7%），白人（72.5%），并有医疗补助/管理医疗保险（67.6%）。超过一半的人将英语列为主要语言（55.9%），其次是西班牙语（38.2%）。大多数HL的病因是遗传/遗传因素（73.6%）。结果人口统计学因素（如种族、主要语言）和结局变量之间的初步分析显示无显著差异。HL评估与CI评估的时间、HL评估与首耳CI的时间、平均首耳CI年龄在冠状病毒感染前后组间无显著差异。有趣的是，我们的临床首次HL评估与covid前后第二次耳部CI手术的时间存在差异，患者在covid前后进行第二次CI手术的时间比患者在covid后大约晚7个月（M = 17.66个月，SD = 15.66; M = 10.76, SD = 10.62）。结论covid -19对先天性HL患儿从诊断到CI的时间线没有负面影响。事实上，第一次和第二次连续CI之间的时间在covid后有所改善，并提供了更快的双耳听力。此外，我们的英语和西班牙语组在covid之前和之后都可以公平地获得听力学和HL治疗服务，无论首选语言如何。总体而言，为尽量减少COVID限制的影响而采取的行动使我们的诊所能够维持并在某些地区改善来自不同患者群体的先天性HL儿童获得CI的机会。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology 医学-耳鼻喉科学

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

6.70%

发文量

276

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： The purpose of the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology is to concentrate and disseminate information concerning prevention, cure and care of otorhinolaryngological disorders in infants and children due to developmental, degenerative, infectious, neoplastic, traumatic, social, psychiatric and economic causes. The Journal provides a medium for clinical and basic contributions in all of the areas of pediatric otorhinolaryngology. This includes medical and surgical otology, bronchoesophagology, laryngology, rhinology, diseases of the head and neck, and disorders of communication, including voice, speech and language disorders.