Influencing variables in the quality of life of children with cochlear implants: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To verify how the quality of life of children with cochlear implant was evaluated in published studies and to critically analyze which were the influencing variables.

RESEARCH STRATEGY: Research guided by PRISMA recommendations. The guiding question was elaborated based on the PICO strategy, being: "Which variables are considered as influencers on the quality of life of children with cochlear implants?" The selected descriptors were cochlear implants, cochlear implants, quality of life, child and their synonyms, in the Portuguese, English and Spanish languages. We have identified indexed studies in the databases: Pubmed / MEDLINE, LILACS, Scopus, SciELO, Embase, EBSCO / CINAHL and Web of Science.

SELECTION CRITERIA: Selected studies were selected, with levels of scientific evidence from 1 to 4, published in the Portuguese, English and Spanish languages, from 2009 to 2018. Data analysis: initially the titles of all the studies, followed by summaries and full reading of the most relevant texts.

RESULTS: After the rigorous analysis of the 1062 articles, eight were classified as containing the necessary answers to the guiding question of research. The selected studies were published between 2009 and 2016, classified as evidence level 2a and 4, with a sample of between 10 and 259 children and between the ages of 18 months and 18 years.

CONCLUSION: The influencing factors that correlated with the quality of life of children with cochlear implants were early implantation, use of the electronic device, hearing skills and language skills.