ARCHS: adult recipients of cochlear implants: health and social long-term outcomes–a state-specific and national population-based retrospective cohort study protocol

Introduction While the majority of adults with severe-to-profound hearing loss and poor speech perception outcomes with hearing aids benefit from receiving a cochlear implant, the long-term health and social benefits for implant recipients are yet to be explored. The objective of the ARCHS research is to provide a better understanding of the health and social factors that play a role in the lives of adults with a cochlear implant up to 10 years after the procedure.

Method and analysis This research will involve conducting two retrospective cohort studies of adults aged ≥18 years who received a cochlear implant during 2011–2021 using linked administrative data first within New South Wales (NSW) and second Australia-wide. It will examine health service use and compare health and social outcomes for younger (18–64 years) and older (≥65 years) cochlear implant recipients.

Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was received from the NSW Population Health Services Research Ethics Committee for the NSW cohort study (Reference: 2022/ETH00382/2022.07) and from the Macquarie University ethics committee for the national cohort study (Reference: 520221151437084). Research findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific conferences.