IMPACT OF TINNITUS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG TINNITUS COUNSELLING CLINIC PATIENTS

Joyce Lim JBH (1), Peter Lu KS (1), David Koh SQ (2), Eng SP (1).

(1) Changi General Hospital, Singapore; (2) National University of Singapore, Singapore.

Aims: To describe impact of tinnitus on patients’ quality of life

Methods: Patients attending a tinnitus counselling clinic in CGH were given the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) to complete during their initial consultation from November 2006 to August 2008.  THI is a self-administered 25-item questionnaire measuring the patient’s emotional state, functional state and catastrophic impact of tinnitus. Emotional state was assessed by their response to questions relating to anger, frustration, irritability, anxiety, depression and insecurity. Functional state was related to questions on stress, loss of concentration and sleep, interference with job, household responsibilities and social activities. A catastrophic response  was assessed by questions on sense of desperation, perception of having a terrible disease, lack of control, and inability to escape and cope. Total THI score was classified into categories denoting handicap severity: no (scores 0-16), mild (scores 18-36), moderate (scores 38-56), severe (scores 58-100).

Results: 327 patients (193 males, 134 females), age range 15-91 years (mean 48.9, SD13.4years), completed the THI. Of these, 33% had no handicap from tinnitus, 31% had mild handicap, 18% had moderate handicap and 19% had severe handicap.  Mean for emotional state was slightly higher in females (12.3 SD9.7) than in males (11.9 SD10.3).  Mean for functional state was scored higher in males (13.2 SD 11.3) than in females (12.2 SD10.3).  Both males and females had similar catastrophic response scores (mean±SD= 8.7±5.7  vs  8.6± 5.6).

There was no statistically significant difference in overall THI scores (mean±SD 33.7±25.1 for males, 33.3±23.3 for females) as well as in all the 3 domains (emotional, functional and catastrophic) between the sexes.

Conclusion: This study shows that tinnitus has a significant impact on quality of life among tinnitus counselling patients. The THI values can potentially be used as a baseline to monitor patient’s progress during counselling.

E-mail: joyce_lim@cgh.com.sg