Original Research
The impact of tinnitus on daily activities in adult tinnitus sufferers: A pilot study
Submitted: 26 February 2014 | Published: 27 August 2014
About the author(s)
Nomfundo F. Moroe, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, South AfricaKatijah Khoza-Shangase, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Abstract
Objectives: The current study aimed at describing the effects of tinnitus on the quality of life of the participants as measured by the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI).
Method: In a cross-sectional descriptive study design, 27 participants took part in the study by completing a self-administered THI questionnaire and participating in a semi-structured interview. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Descriptively, content analysis was used to organise and convey results from the interviews.
Results: Participants reported a wide range of perceived disability on the THI. Results ranged from mild to catastrophic, with functional disability being most prominent in all participants, although there were differences when results were analysed according to gender. There was an association between gender and the type of perceived disability, although this was statistically non-significant (p > 0.05). Only 26% of the participants reported no effect on occupational performance and quality of life, with the remainder of the participants reporting a significant effect. Limited effective management strategies were reported to have been implemented – a significant implication for the audiologists.
Conclusion: The results have implications for audiologists as they suggest that audiologists should take a detailed case history to determine the extent to which tinnitus affects the individual. Furthermore, audiologists should administer a scale such as the THI in the management of tinnitus.
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Crossref Citations
1. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat chronic tinnitus: a feasibility study
Matthew Sickerdick, Jeric Uy, Ines Serrada, Brenton Hordacre
Speech, Language and Hearing vol: 28 issue: 1 year: 2025
doi: 10.1080/2050571X.2024.2378613