Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Sherlock, LaGuinn
• Ellis, Gregory
• Davidson, Alyssa
• Brungart, Douglas

Titel

Rapid Assessment of Tinnitus Complaints with a Modified Version of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey

Ist Teil von

• Trends in hearing, 2024-01, Vol.28, p.23312165241242235-23312165241242235

Ort / Verlag

United States: SAGE Publications

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The objective of this project was to establish cutoff scores on the tinnitus subscale of the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (THS) using a large sample of United States service members (SM) with the end goal of guiding clinical referrals for tinnitus evaluation. A total of 4,589 SM undergoing annual audiometric surveillance were prospectively recruited to complete the THS tinnitus subscale (THS-T). A subset of 1,304 participants also completed the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI). The original 5-point response scale of the THS (THS-T ) was modified to an 11-point scale (THS-T ) for some participants, to align with the response scale of the TFI. Age, sex, hearing loss, and self-reported tinnitus bother were also recorded. The THS-T was relatively insensitive to hearing, but self-reported bothersome tinnitus was significantly associated with the THS-T score. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine cutoff scores on the THS-T that aligned with recommended cutoff values for clinical intervention on the TFI. A cutoff of 9 on the THS-T aligns with a TFI cutoff of 25, indicating a patient may need intervention for tinnitus. A cutoff of 15 aligns with a TFI cutoff of 50, indicating that more aggressive intervention for tinnitus is warranted. The THS-T is a viable tool to identify patients with tinnitus complaints warranting clinical evaluation for use by hearing conservation programs and primary care clinics. The THS-T cutoff scores of 9 and 15 provide clinical reference points to guide referrals to audiology.