Introduction

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Cochlear implantation can have a significant impact on an adult’s quality of life, socially, emotionally, and in terms of employment (e.g. Athalye et al., 2014; Du Feu and Fergusson, 2003; Tye-Murray et al., 2009). Functionally, expected outcomes include improved ability to hear, communicate, to hold conversations in social situations and increased confidence in talking to others (Athalye et al., 2014). However, in today’s financially challenging climate, it has come under increasing scrutiny. Despite the high costs, research suggests that cochlear implantation of adults appears cost-effective (e.g. Lamb and Archbold, 2013) and adult cochlear implant (CI) users attribute considerable value to the implant (Buhagiar, 2012).

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To gain further insights into the perspectives of those who underwent cochlear implantation in adulthood, this study explored their views on the current pathway and beyond: focusing on CI services, funding issues, functional outcomes, and their perceived value of their CI(s).

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