The efficacy of nurse-led hyperbaric oxygen therapy in improving the quality of life in patients with sudden hearing loss

Background: The quality of life decreases in patients with sudden hearing loss due to hearing problems. In addition, complications due to hyperbaric oxygen therapy can reduce the quality of life. Aim: This study was conducted to examine the efficacy of nurse-led hyperbaric oxygen therapy in improving the quality of life in patients with sudden hearing loss. Subjects and Methods: This one-group pretest-posttest design study was conducted with 34 patients with Sudden Hearing Loss who applied to a university hospital for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy between November 2018 and February 2019. The data were collected using the Patient Information Form, World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF), and Pure Tone Threshold Audiogram. Results: WHOQOL-BREF's quality of life rating (2.59 +/- 0.86-3.68 +/- 0.59), satisfaction with health status (2.65 +/- 0.69-3.62 +/- 0.60), physical domain (11.58 +/- 2.08-14.84 +/- 2.38), psychological domain (12.80 +/- 2.21-15.82 +/- 2.26), social domain (14.63 +/- 3.09-16.78 +/- 2.67) and environmental domain (14.25 +/- 2.55-16.34 +/- 2.60) mean scores significantly increased compared to the pre-treatment scores (p < 0.001). The presence of an acute illness in the last month, the persistence of sudden hearing loss symptoms, level of hearing loss, presence of chronic illness, and smoking were found to affect the quality of life. Conclusions: At the end of the nurse-led hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with sudden hearing loss, the quality of life increased and the hearing loss decreased. The most important factor affecting the quality of life was the persistence of symptoms of sudden hearing loss.