Hearing the Classes: A Study of Cochlear Implantation and Socioeconomic Status

Abstract

Profound hearing loss affects thousands of people in the United States and the United Kingdom, with a higher incidence among people of low socioeconomic status. A cochlear implant is a surgically implanted device that has been demonstrated to improve communication and quality of life among profoundly hearing-impaired individuals. This review postulates that the rate of cochlear implantation among eligible candidates can be used to assess quality of healthcare, with a view toward examining disparities in healthcare services both in American free-market system and in the British National Health Service. A systematic literature search was performed for pertinent articles investigating socioeconomic status and cochlear implantation. Data from twenty-two sources were analyzed, and it was shown that-despite differences in the healthcare systems of the United States and England-similar trends are apparent in the two countries with regard to a lower rate of pediatric cochlear implantation surgery in children with profound hearing loss as familial socioeconomic status decreases.