Korean J Biol Psychiatry.  2015 Feb;22(1):7-13. 10.0000/kjbp.2015.22.1.7.

Psychiatric Characteristics According to Tinnitus Severity

• Kim JH
• Kim JH
• Cho SI
• Park SH
• Kim SH
• Choo IH
• Kim SG

• KMID: 2250928
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/kjbp.2015.22.1.7

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to examine the psychiatric characteristics of outpatients with tinnitus.
METHODS
A total of 88 subjects were included in this study. According to Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) scores, the subjects were classified into two group ; a mild tinnitus symptoms (mild-tinnitus) group and a severe tinnitus symptoms (severe-tinnitus) group. A questionnaire was used for an assessment of demographic characteristics, and the THI, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) about tinnitus, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) are applied for evaluation of other clinical psychiatric characteristics.
RESULTS
Higher THI scores were positively correlated with tinnitus course, the number of accompanying symptoms, and the VAS. BDI total scores, BDI factors, and BAI total scores were significantly higher in the severe-tinnitus group than in the mild-tinnitus group. Also suicidal ideation, interpersonal problems, sleep problems, occupational impairment, and fatigue were significantly higher in the severe-tinnitus group than in the mild-tinnitus group.
CONCLUSIONS
Tinnitus is a common disorder of hearing which is associated frequently with psychiatric problems. This study suggests that psychiatric interventions should be taken into consideration in the treatment of patients suffering from tinnitus.

Keyword

Tinnitus; Tinnitus handicap index; Psychiatric characteristics

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Hearing
Humans
Outpatients
Suicidal Ideation
Tinnitus*