Impact of mental health on health specific quality of life for patients with chronic otitis media

Introduction:

Patients with chronic otitis media (COM) complain about otorrhoea und hardness of hearing. Spreading over many years and frequently including mutiple operations, the course of disease restricts the quality of life of the affected patients. The impairment of mental health can therefore be the consequence. However no data is available so far.

Methods:

Up to now 70 patients with COM have been interviewed using the Chronic Otitis Media Outcome Test 15 (COMOT-15) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D) preoperatively and 6 month after the middle ear operation. The objectifiability of the patient's disease has been shown by pre- and postoperatively measured pure tone audiometry and by Ossiculoplasty Outcome Staging Index (OOPS-Index).

Results:

Patients with COM show an increased depression in comparison to general population. The extent of depression indicates a clear correlation with hearing loss and considerably determines the subjective valuation of the surgical success.

Conclusions:

COM-Patients with impaired mental health demonstrate an increased reduction of the specific quality of life compared to psychologically healthy patient. This has an direct impact on the subjectively perceived postoperative outcome and thus for recording quality of life and mental health assessment tools in the clinical diagnostics are essential.

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
18. April 2018 (online)