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Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2017; 21(01): 66-71
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1572562
Original Research
Thieme-Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tinnitus in Elderly Individuals: Discomfort and Impact in the Quality of Life

Adriane Ribeiro Teixeira
1   Department of Health and Human Communication, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Leticia Petersen Schmidt Rosito
2   Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Andréa Kruger Gonçalves
3   Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Michelle Gassen Paulo Nunes
4   Arqué Segurança e Medicina do Trabalho, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Silvia Dornelles
1   Department of Health and Human Communication, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
,
Maira Rozenfeld Olchik
5   Departamento de Cirurgia e Ortopedia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Rio RS, Brazil
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

31 October 2015

02 December 2015

Publication Date:
13 April 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction Tinnitus is a symptom that affects mainly the elderly and can negatively influence their quality of life.

Objective The objective of our study is to evaluate the existence of a relationship between the quality of life and the impact caused by tinnitus in elderly individuals, considering the age and gender variables.

Method We conducted a cross-sectional study in elderly people of both genders who participate in the extension activities at the university. The evaluation was composed of anamnesis and WHOQOL-OLD instruments, to evaluate the quality of life, and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) for the evaluation of the tinnitus impact.

Result We evaluated 36 elderly individuals with an average age of 68.6 ± 6.8 years old, 72.2 % of them were women. We verified that most of the subjects classified their tinnitus as weak (44.4%) or medium (36.1%). The score average in the THI was 20 points, with predominant classification of tinnitus impact as negligible (41.7%) or mild (30.6%). In the WHOQOL-OLD, the average score was 15.6 ± 1.6 points (total score). The negative correlation between the THI score and the WHOQOL-OLD score was found in the sensory domain operation and total score.

Conclusion The results obtained in the study prove that the quality of life of the elderly individuals evaluated is related to a discomfort caused by the tinnitus.

Keywords

tinnitus - elderly - quality of life - questionnaires
 

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