Hearing, Speech and Language Outcomes in Children with Cochlear Implants: a Comparison between ADIP Scheme and Self-Financed Scheme
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47985/dcidj.488Keywords:
ADIP scheme, self-financed, outcomes, cochlear implants, challengesAbstract
Purpose: Cochlear implants (CIs) are of immense benefit to children with severe to profound hearing impairment. While cochlear implants under the ADIP scheme cost a lot to the public exchequer, parents spend considerable amounts on CI surgery under the self-financed scheme. This study aimed to find and compare outcomes of cochlear implants in children who availed of the ADIP scheme and those who were implanted under a self-financed scheme. The secondary aim was to elicit the views of parents on the challenges their wards faced under the ADIP scheme for cochlear implants.
Method: The study focused on twelve children who received cochlear implants under the ADIP scheme and twelve children who received implants under a self-financed scheme at a tertiary care health centre. The baseline for measurement of various outcomes was a minimum of six months post implantation. Cochlear implant outcomes were compared using MAIS/IT-MAIS, SIR, CAP, and ISD tests. Interviews were also conducted with the parents of children who received cochlear implants under the ADIP scheme, for information regarding the challenges they faced.
Results: There was a significant difference (p<.05) between the two groups in the scores of CAP and reception, speech, and cognition subsections of the ISD scale. The scores of the ADIP group were significantly lower in these domains. The possible reasons might be a lack of funds, not visiting the therapy centre regularly, loss of wages during a visit to the therapy centre, lack of family support, and insufficient time to repeat therapy activities at home. There was no significant difference in age, CI age, and CI usage duration between the two groups.
Conclusion and Implications: Compared to children implanted under the self-financed scheme, children implanted under the ADIP scheme are significantly lacking in a few domains of communication skills. The efficacy of the ADIP scheme for cochlear implantation can be evaluated and policy change can be advocated based on this study. The study has outlined some modifications to this welfare scheme in order to fill the observed lacunae and widen the scope of its reach.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 The Author(s)
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License By-NC-ND 4.0 that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).