Factors associated with Self Rated Health in persons with tinnitus from the general population

Olav V.G Wagenaar,Nick M.A Schubert,Yanda R Van Rood,Judith G.M Rosmalen

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110693

Abstract

ObjectivesTinnitus, the perception of a sound without a corresponding external source, may be associated with decreased Self-Rated Health (SRH). Most research on tinnitus has been done in clinical populations. We aimed to study factors associated with SRH in individuals reporting tinnitus from the general population. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we used data of participants of the Lifelines population-based cohort who answered the question: “Do you hear soughing or whistling in your ear or ears?” (N=124,490). SRH was assessed using the RAND-36 item on SRH. Linear regression was used to study associations between SRH and impairment of hearing, physical and mental health, lifestyle, personality, and demographic features, in the group reporting always tinnitus (N=8,011). Models were also run in the entire study cohort, to test whether tinnitus was associated with SRH after adjustment for these variables. ResultsOf all participants, 6.4% reported always hearing tinnitus, with 83.7% of these reporting good to excellent SRH. The strongest positive associations with SRH in the group reporting always tinnitus were found for younger age, higher education levels, good sleep quality, more social contacts, absence of irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia, high competence, and low impulsivity. In the total population, tinnitus was negatively associated with SRH, while adjusting for demographic features, physical and mental health history, lifestyle, and personality. ConclusionOur findings contribute to increased understanding of resilience towards the negative consequences of tinnitus. In their early encounters with tinnitus patients, clinicians could focus on self-help regarding sleep hygiene and stimulate social activities.

Highlights

Tinnitus is the perception of a sound without a corresponding external source [1,2]
The aim of our study was to identify factors associated with Self-Rated Health (SRH) in participants from the general population who report to always have tinnitus, and to study the association between tinnitus and SRH in the general population, after taking into account potential confounders
The analyses in the general population revealed an independent association between tinnitus and SRH, in addition to the associations that were found in the analyses restricted to participants reporting to always have tinnitus

Summary

Introduction

Tinnitus is the perception of a sound without a corresponding external source [1,2]. Tinnitus is a common symptom, but prevalence figures are inconclusive. Previous studies showed systematic differences between help seekers and non–help seekers on psychological variables [6,7] It should be realized, though, that tinnitus is not by definition associated with reduction in SRH: in only 1% to 3% of the population with tinnitus, it causes severe problems in daily life functioning [8,9]. Previous studies suggest that the associ ation between tinnitus and SRH might be related to personal reactions instead of symptom characteristics, which may be better explained by personality traits, coping strategies or lifestyle [10] [29] This is in line with other studies suggesting an association between personality factors and tinnitus impact [11] [12] [13] [14] or therapy outcome [15]. Studies in patients with tinnitus suggest reduced SRH, the few population-based studies indicate that the vast ma jority of participants with tinnitus might not consider their SRH to be reduced

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