Korean J Rehabil Nurs.  2003 Jun;6(1):40-50.

Relationship between the Discomfort of Tinnitus and the Quality of Life in Tinnitus Patients

• Park MO
• Kim JS
• Shin JS

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate audiometery and characteristics related to tinnitus in tinnitus patients. and to understand the relationship between the discomfort of tinnitus and the quality of life.
Methods
The subjects were 110 patients with tinnitus. The data were collected using tinnitus handicap questionnaire. quality of life, and pure tone audiometry, which measured hearing level in dB and frequency in Hz matching of tinnitus.
RESULTS
Majority of tinnitus patients (75.5%~81.8%) had normal auditory sensation. but 82.7% of patients indicated that they have heard tinnitus frequently. or always, and the major sounds of tinnitus were wing, wung, wang, The matching sounds of tinnitus had various range in hearing level(dB) and frequency(Hz). Tinnitus patients reported moderate levels of the discomfort of tinnitus and the quality of life, and there were negative correlation between the discomfort of tinnitus and the quality of life(r=-.314, p .00l).
CONCLUSION
These findings suggest that special attention is needed for tinnitus patients because the physical. psychological. and social impacts of tinnitus could be decrease their quality of life, Specialized nursing intervention considering specific conditions related to tinnitus is required to solve various health problems of tinnitus patients.

MeSH Terms

Audiometry
Hearing
Humans
Nursing
Quality of Life*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Sensation
Social Change
Tinnitus*