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Background: In Sweden, an estimated prevalence of adult patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss is 0.2%, which corresponds to roughly 20,000. We know little about the use of cochlear implants (CIs) in this population and why not most of them are not offered CI. Objectives: To investigate the reasons for no rehabilitation with CI among this patient group. Materials and methods: Data were collected from 1076 patients in the Swedish Quality Register of Otorhinolaryngology. A baseline questionnaire and the reason for no CI, was evaluated. Results: Only 14.5% of the patients started a CI investigation, and 8.5% were rehabilitated with CI. Significantly more women (56.5%) than men received CI. The most common reasons for not receiving CI, were hearing reason (30.5%), indicating satisfaction with technical equipment, and unknown reason (25%). The oldest patient group (81-100 years old) had the highest risk for unknown reasons . Patients receiving extended audiological rehabilitation (53.5%) had a significantly lower risk for unknown reasons. Conclusions: It is worrying that the oldest patient group (81-100 years old) seemed to have fewer chances to start a CI investigation. An extended audiological rehabilitation increased the chances that professionals would discuss CI. Significance: This study shows that surprisingly few patients are offered CI despite their severe-to-profound hearing loss.

Conclusions: Patients with severe vision impairment in combination with severe-to-profound hearing loss seem to have a higher risk for effects on QoL, including: mobility, the ability to provide self-care and perform usual activities, and levels of anxiety and depression, compared with patients with only severe-to-profound hearing loss., Objectives: To study the quality-of-life (QoL) and audiological rehabilitation of the severely vision-impaired patient population among adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss in Sweden., Method: A study of data collected from 543 patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss combined with severe vision impairment among the total of 2319 persons registered in the Swedish Quality Register of Otorhinolaryngology. QoL was measured with the following instruments: EQ5D, PIRS, and HADS. Audiological rehabilitation was described and evaluated., Results: The patients with dual sensory loss were younger, were more likely to live alone, and had a lower level of education than the control group. The QoL of the study group was significantly negatively affected. In total, 89% of the study group had been rehabilitated with hearing aids, while 8% had received rehabilitation with cochlear implants. A total of 32% of the study group had received extended audiological rehabilitation.