Tinnitus and Mental Distress (Reavis et al., 2020)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the

relationship between tinnitus and self-reported mental health

distress, namely, depression symptoms and perceived

anxiety, in adults who participated in the National Health

and Nutrition Examinations Survey between 2009 and

2012. A secondary aim was to determine if a history of

serving in the military modified the associations between

tinnitus and mental health distress.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study design of a

national data set that included 5,550 U.S. community-dwelling adults ages 20 years and older, 12.7% of whom

were military Veterans. Bivariable and multivariable logistic

regression was used to estimate the association between

tinnitus and mental health distress. All measures were

based on self-report. Tinnitus and perceived anxiety were

each assessed using a single question. Depression symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire, a validated questionnaire. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for key demographic and health factors, including self-reported hearing ability.

Results: Prevalence of tinnitus was 15%. Compared to

adults without tinnitus, adults with tinnitus had a 1.8-fold

increase in depression symptoms and a 1.5-fold increase in

perceived anxiety after adjusting for potential confounders.

Military Veteran status did not modify these observed

associations.

Conclusions: Findings revealed an association between

tinnitus and both depression symptoms and perceived

anxiety, independent of potential confounders, among both

Veterans and non-Veterans. These results suggest, on a

population level, that individuals with tinnitus have a greater

burden of perceived mental health distress and may benefit

from interdisciplinary health care, self-help, and community-based interventions.

Reavis, K. M., Henry J. A., Marshall, L. M., & Carlson, K. F. (2020). Prevalence of self-reported depression

symptoms and perceived anxiety among community-dwelling U.S. adults reporting tinnitus. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_PERSP-19-00178