title: Factors associated with symptom-specific psychological and functional impact among acoustic neuroma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological and functional impact attributed to acoustic neuroma symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 207 acoustic neuroma patients completed a study-specific questionnaire about the severity, frequency, and psychological and functional impact of 9 acoustic neuroma symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 56.4 per cent. All symptoms had some degree of psychological impact for the majority of participants; hearing loss was the symptom most often reported to have a severe psychological impact. The majority of respondents reported functional impact attributed to hearing loss, balance disturbance, dizziness, eye problems, headache and fatigue; balance disturbance was the symptom most often reported to have a severe functional impact. For most symptoms, psychological and functional impact were related to severity and frequency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of the acoustic neuroma symptoms investigated, hearing loss and balance disturbance were the most likely to have a severe psychological and functional impact, respectively.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Psychiatry,Monash University,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Brooker
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Psychiatry,Monash University,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.affiliation: William Buckland Radiotherapy Centre,Alfred Hospital,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dally
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology,University of Melbourne,Melbourne, Victoria,Australia.
authors.forename: R J S
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.affiliation: ENT-Otoneurology Unit,Alfred Hospital,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Cousins
authors.affiliation: Cabrini Monash Psycho-oncology,Cabrini Institute,Cabrini Health, Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Malham
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck/Ear Nose Throat Unit,St Vincent's Hospital,Melbourne, Victoria,Australia.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology,Prince of Wales Cancer Centre,Sydney, New South Wales,Australia.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Smee
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Psychiatry,Monash University,Melbourne,Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burney
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004856:Postural Balance; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult