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The art of perception: Patients drawing their vestibular schwannoma
Author(s) -
van Leeuwen Bibian M.,
Herruer Jasmijn M.,
Putter Hein,
van der Mey Andel G. L.,
Kaptein Adrian A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.25386
Subject(s) - schwannoma , vestibular system , quality of life (healthcare) , perception , referral , medicine , audiology , acoustic neuroma , association (psychology) , psychology , family medicine , surgery , nursing , neuroscience , psychotherapist
Objectives/Hypothesis Drawings made by patients are an innovative way to assess the perceptions of patients on their illness. The objective of this study, at a university tertiary referral center, on patients who have recently been diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma, was to examine whether patients’ illness perceptions can be assessed by drawings and are related to their quality of life. Study Design Cross‐sectional study. Methods Patients diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma (mean age [range], 55.4 [17–85] years) between April 2011 and October 2012 were included (N = 253). Sociodemographics, illness perceptions (Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire [B‐IPQ]), and disease‐specific quality of life (Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality of Life [PANQOL] scale) were assessed to evaluate the impact of being diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma. Furthermore, patients’ drawings of their tumor were analyzed to explore the association between illness perceptions, drawings, and quality of life. Results Comparison of the B‐IPQ scores of the current sample (N = 139; response rate 54.9%) with other disease samples shows a significantly lower score for patients with vestibular schwannoma on the Coherence dimension, indicating a low understanding of the illness. Illustration of emotions (N = 12) in the drawings gave a negative association with quality of life. Intercorrelations indicate a positive association between a low amount of physical and emotional consequences of the illness and a higher score on the Balance, Hearing, and Energy dimensions of the PANQOL. Conclusions Patients’ drawings give an insight into their perception of the tumor inside their head. Use of drawings may be helpful when developing and offering self‐management programs. Quality of life appears to be significantly affected by the diagnosis. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope , 125:2660–2667, 2015