A qualitative exploration of quality of life among individuals diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma.

OBJECTIVES

To explore quality of life outcomes and the factors that influenced adjustment among individuals diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma.

DESIGN

This qualitative study involved a focus group design.

METHODS

Twenty-one participants who had been diagnosed with and/or treated for an acoustic neuroma since 2000 attended one of four focus groups. Transcripts of the focus group discussions underwent thematic analysis to explore and describe the quality of life of participants and factors that impacted on their adjustment to the condition.

RESULTS

Important themes that emerged were 'physical symptoms', 'psychological wellbeing', 'social wellbeing', 'functional status', and 'psychosocial factors that influenced adjustment'. Factors that influenced adjustment included severity of physical symptoms, co-morbid conditions, optimism, control, social comparison, and social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants conveyed a diverse range of experiences in relation to quality of life. In addition to severity of physical symptoms, psychosocial factors also emerged as important influences on quality of life.