The effect of symptomatology and mental wellbeing on quality of life in people with acoustic neuroma.

INTRODUCTION

Acoustic neuroma (AN) research largely employs a medical framework to understand health outcomes. An alternative is to examine quality of life (QOL) outcomes. This study explored whether mental well-being (i.e., anxiety and depression) were predictive of QOL in those with AN over and above symptomatology.

METHODS

A nationwide online survey was distributed to 24 community organisations. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of AN irrespective of the treatment approach. There were 52 respondents. Mental well-being was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and quality of life was assessed using Penn Acoustic Neuroma QOL scale (PANQOL).

RESULTS

The most frequently reported symptoms reported were poor balance, tinnitus, hearing loss, and headache. Preliminary analyses suggested that headaches, tinnitus and mental well-being were significantly correlated with QOL. Hierarchical regression revealed that these two symptoms and mental well-being accounted for 18.7% and 51.1% of the variance in QOL, respectively. In addition, there was a significant difference in depression scores between management types, with the surgery group having a significantly higher depression score than the radiation group.

CONCLUSION

Symptoms and mood contribute to QOL for those diagnosed with AN. This can be understood through the common-sense model and fear of cancer recurrence. Screening for psychological difficulties should be provided from the point of diagnosis to post-treatment to allow for targeted management plans to mitigate the effects of these on QOL.