Review Article
The Cost of Cochlear Implantation: A Review of Methodological Considerations
Table 2
Answers to the methodological questions by study.
| Question/answers | | Was a clear definition of the deafness given? | Were the methods adopted carefully described? | Were activity data sources carefully described? | Were activity data appropriately assessed? | Were the sources of all cost values analytically described? | Were unit costs appropriately valued? | Were costs sufficiently disaggregated? | Were the major assumptions tested in a sensitivity analysis? | Were costs discounted? | Was the presentation of study results consistent with the methology of the study? | Total score by study |
| | Y | 10 | 17 | 19 | 10 | 19 | 14 | 10 | 16 | 21 | 16 | 154 | All studies | P | 12 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 56 | | N | 4 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 53 |
| | Y | Yes | | | | | | | | Yes | | 4 | O'Neill et al. [8] | P | | | P | | | | P | | | P | 3 | | N | | No | | No | No | No | | No | | | 5 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 | Summerfield et al. [12] | P | | | | P | | P | | | | | 2 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 | Barton et al. [2] | P | P | P | | | | | P | | | | 3 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 | Severens et al. [25] | P | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | N | | | | No | | | | | | | 1 |
| | Y | | | Yes | | Yes | | | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 | Palmer et al. [20] | P | P | P | | P | | P | P | | | | 5 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | | Yes | | | | | | | Yes | | 2 | Hutton et al. [7] | P | P | | | | | | | P | | P | 3 | | N | | | No | No | No | No | No | | | | 5 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 | Schulze-Gattermann et al. [26] | P | | | | P | | | P | | | | 2 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | | | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 | Cheng et al. [16] | P | | | P | P | | P | | | | | 3 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | | Yes | Yes | | | | | Yes | Yes | Yes | 5 | Wyatt et al. [21] | P | P | | | P | | | P | | | | 3 | | N | | | | | No | No | | | | | 2 |
| | Y | | | | | | | | Yes | Yes | | 2 | Lee et al. [28] | P | | P | | | | | P | | | P | 3 | | N | No | | No | No | No | No | | | | | 5 |
| Summerfield et al. [13] | Y | | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 | P | P | | | P | | | P | | | | 3 | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | | | 6 | Vantrappen et al. [27] | P | | P | | | | | | | | P | 2 | | N | | | | | | | | No | No | | 2 |
| | Y | | | | | | | | | Yes | | 1 | Wong et al. [29] | P | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | N | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | | No | 9 |
| | Y | | Yes | | | Yes | | | | | | 2 | Bichey et al. [15] | P | P | | | | | P | P | | | | 3 | | N | | | No | No | | | | No | No | No | 5 |
| | Y | | Yes | Yes | | Yes | | | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6 | Wyatt et al. [22] | P | P | | | | | P | P | | | | 3 | | N | | | | No | | | | | | | 1 |
| | Y | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | | Yes | | 6 | Summerfield et al. [10] | P | | P | | | | | | | | P | 2 | | N | | | | | | | No | No | | | 2 |
| | Y | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | | Yes | | 6 | Francis et al. [17] | P | P | | | | | | | P | | P | 3 | | N | | | | | | | No | | | | 1 |
| | Y | | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
Carter and Hailey [23] | P | P | | | | P | | | | | | 2 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | | | | | Yes | | | | | | 1 | Koch et al. [19] | P | | P | P | | | P | | | P | | 0 | | N | No | | | No | | | No | No | | No | 5 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 | Barton et al. [4] | P | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | | Yes | 7 | Molinier et al. [24] | P | P | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | N | | | | | | | | No | No | | 2 |
| | Y | | | Yes | | Yes | Yes | | Yes | | Yes | 5 | Sach et al. [9] | P | | P | | | | | P | | | | 2 | | N | No | | | No | | | | | No | | 3 |
| | Y | | Yes | Yes | | | | | | Yes | Yes | 4 | Barton et al. [5] | P | P | | | P | | | | | | | 2 | | N | | | | | No | No | No | No | | | 4 | | Y | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | 8 |
| Barton et al. [3] | P | P | | | | | | | | | P | 0 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 | UK CISG [14] | P | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| | Y | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 | Bond et al. [6] | P | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | | N | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
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Total score by study is the sum of answers. P: partially; Y: Yes; N: No.
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