RSS-Feed abonnieren
PDF herunterladen
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1770152
The Impact of Tinnitus Severity on Work Functioning among U.S. Military Veterans with Tinnitus
Funding/Acknowledgments We are grateful to the Veterans who participated in this survey for their contributions to health sciences and their service to the U.S. military. This research was supported by grants from the Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (SPiRE I21 RX002216-01 to K.F.C.; C9427S to J.A.H.) and from the Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute at Oregon Health and Science University (1 UL1 RR024140 01).
Abstract
Tinnitus is highly prevalent among military Veterans. Severe tinnitus can be associated with negative impacts on daily life. Veterans with severe tinnitus may also have greater difficulties in functional roles, including work. However, few studies have explicitly explored this relationship. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), also prevalent among Veterans, is associated with tinnitus and can additionally impair work functioning. This quantitative investigation used a population-based survey to assess the relationship between tinnitus severity, measured using the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), and the impact of tinnitus on work, measured using a composite score from the Tinnitus History Questionnaire, among a stratified random sample of VA healthcare-using Veterans diagnosed with tinnitus, with and without comorbid TBI. Analyses were weighted to account for sampling design and Veteran non-response; multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Results indicated that for every 1-point increase in TFI score, there was an average 8% increase in the odds of reporting a high level of impact on work functioning (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.11). Veterans with a comorbid TBI diagnosis, compared with those without, were more likely to have high tinnitus-related impact on work functioning (OR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.85, 3.91), but the relationship between tinnitus severity and the impact of tinnitus on work functioning did not differ by TBI status. These data can help researchers and clinicians understand complex symptoms experienced by Veterans with tinnitus, with and without TBI, supporting the improved provision of clinical services to these patients.
Publikationsverlauf
Artikel online veröffentlicht:
24. Juli 2023
© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA
-
References
- Andersson G, Edvinsson E. (2009). Mixed feelings about living with tinnitus: a qualitative study. 6(1), 48–54. Accessed June 2, 2023 at: https://doi.org/10.1080/16513860801899355
- Axelsson A, Sandh A. (2009). Tinnitus in noise-induced hearing loss. 19(4), 271–276. Accessed June 2, 2023 at: https://doi.org/10.3109/03005368509078983
- Bartels H, Middel B, Pedersen SS, Staal MJ, Albers FWJ. The distressed (Type D) personality is independently associated with tinnitus: a case-control study. Psychosomatics 2010; 51 (01) 29-38
- Beck JE, Zaugg TL, Egge JL, Lima EN, Thielman EJ. Progressive Tinnitus Management at two Veterans Affairs medical centers: clinical implementation with modified protocols. Am J Audiol 2019; 28 (1S): 162-173
- Bhatt JM, Bhattacharyya N, Lin HW. Relationships between tinnitus and the prevalence of anxiety and depression. Laryngoscope 2017; 127 (02) 466-469
- Bhatt JM, Lin HW, Bhattacharyya N. Prevalence, severity, exposures, and treatment patterns of tinnitus in the United States. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2016; 142 (10) 959-965
- Carlson KF, Gilbert TA, O'Neil ME. et al. Health care utilization and mental health diagnoses among Veterans with tinnitus. Am J Audiol 2019; 28 (1S): 181-190
- Carlson KF, Pogoda TK, Gilbert TA. et al. Supported employment for Veterans with traumatic brain injury: patient perspectives. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2018; 99 (2S): S4-S13 , 13.e1
- Chandra N, Chang K, Lee A, Shekhawat GS, Searchfield GD. Psychometric validity, reliability, and responsiveness of the Tinnitus Functional Index. J Am Acad Audiol 2018; 29 (07) 609-625
- Clarke NA, Henshaw H, Akeroyd MA, Adams B, Hoare DJ. (2020). Associations Between Subjective Tinnitus and Cognitive Performance: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. 24. Accessed June 2, 2023 at: https://doi.org/10.1177/2331216520918416
- Clifford RE, Baker D, Risbrough VB, Huang M, Yurgil KA. Impact of TBI, PTSD, and hearing loss on tinnitus progression in a US Marine cohort. Mil Med 2019; 184 (11-12): 839-846
- Colagrosso EMG, Fournier P, Fitzpatrick EM, Hébert S. A qualitative study on factors modulating tinnitus experience. Ear Hear 2019; 40 (03) 636-644
- Dueñas M, Ojeda B, Salazar A, Mico JA, Failde I. A review of chronic pain impact on patients, their social environment and the health care system. J Pain Res 2016; 9: 457-467
- Eggermont JJ, Roberts LE. The neuroscience of tinnitus. Trends Neurosci 2004; 27 (11) 676-682
- Fausti SA, Wilmington DJ, Gallun FJ, Myers PJ, Henry JA. Auditory and vestibular dysfunction associated with blast-related traumatic brain injury. J Rehabil Res Dev 2009; 46 (06) 797-810
- Folmer RL, McMillan GP, Austin DF, Henry JA. Audiometric thresholds and prevalence of tinnitus among male veterans in the United States: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2006. J Rehabil Res Dev 2011; 48 (05) 503-516
- Gamboa Jr AM, Holland GH, Tierney JP, Gibson DS. American Community Survey: earnings and employment for persons with traumatic brain injury. NeuroRehabilitation 2006; 21 (04) 327-333
-
Harris PA,
Taylor R,
Minor BL.
et al;
REDCap Consortium.
The REDCap consortium: Building an international community of software platform partners.
J Biomed Inform 2019; 95: 103208
MissingFormLabel
-
Harris PA,
Taylor R,
Thielke R,
Payne J,
Gonzalez N,
Conde JG.
Research electronic data capture (REDCap) – a metadata-driven methodology and workflow
process for providing translational research informatics support. J Biomed Inform
2009; 42 (02) 377-381
MissingFormLabel
- Henry JA, Galvez G, Turbin MB, Thielman EJ, McMillan GP, Istvan JA. Pilot study to evaluate ecological momentary assessment of tinnitus. Ear Hear 2012; 33 (02) 179-290
- Henry JA, Griest S, Thielman E, McMillan G, Kaelin C, Carlson KF. Tinnitus Functional Index: development, validation, outcomes research, and clinical application. Hear Res 2016; 334: 58-64
- Henry JA, Thielman EJ, Zaugg TL. et al. Telephone-based progressive tinnitus management for persons with and without traumatic brain injury: a randomized controlled trial. Ear Hear 2019; 40 (02) 227-242
- Henry JA, Thielman EJ, Zaugg TL. et al. Randomized controlled trial in clinical settings to evaluate effectiveness of coping skills education used with progressive tinnitus management. J Speech Lang Hear Res 2017; 60 (05) 1378-1397
- Hoffman H, Reed G. (2004). Epidemiology of tinnitus. In: J.B. Snow (ed.), Tinnitus: Theory and Management. Hamilton, London: BC Decker Inc.;
- Holmes S, Padgham ND. Review paper: more than ringing in the ears: a review of tinnitus and its psychosocial impact. J Clin Nurs 2009; 18 (21) 2927-2937
- Jastreboff PJ. Phantom auditory perception (tinnitus): mechanisms of generation and perception. Neurosci Res 1990; 8 (04) 221-254
- Jury MA, Flynn MC. Auditory and vestibular sequelae to traumatic brain injury: a pilot study. N Z Med J 2001; 114 (1134): 286-288
- Keeling ME, Ozuna SM, Kintzle S, Castro CA. (2018). Veterans' Civilian Employment Experiences: Lessons Learnt From Focus Groups. 46(6), 692–705. Accessed June 2, 2023 at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845318776785
- Kreuzer PM, Landgrebe M, Schecklmann M, Staudinger S, Langguth B. TRI Database Study Group. Trauma-associated tinnitus: audiological, demographic and clinical characteristics. PLoS One 2012; 7 (09) e45599
- Langguth B, Landgrebe M, Kleinjung T, Sand GP, Hajak G. Tinnitus and depression. World J Biol Psychiatry 2011; 12 (07) 489-500
- Lefebvre H, Cloutier G, Josée Levert M. Perspectives of survivors of traumatic brain injury and their caregivers on long-term social integration. Brain Inj 2008; 22 (7-8): 535-543
- Lew HL, Jerger JF, Guillory SB, Henry JA. Auditory dysfunction in traumatic brain injury. J Rehabil Res Dev 2007; 44 (07) 921-928
- Little RJA. Survey nonresponse adjustments for estimates of means. Int Stat Rev 1986; 54 (02) 139
- Meikle MB, Henry JA, Griest SE. et al. The tinnitus functional index: development of a new clinical measure for chronic, intrusive tinnitus. Ear Hear 2012; 33 (02) 153-176
- Millar MM, Dillman DA. Improving response to web and mixed-mode surveys. Public Opin Q 2011; 75 (02) 249-269
- Mohamad N, Hoare DJ, Hall DA. The consequences of tinnitus and tinnitus severity on cognition: a review of the behavioural evidence. Hear Res 2016; 332: 199-209
- Moring JC, Peterson AL, Kanzler KE. Tinnitus, traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress disorder in the military. Int J Behav Med 2018; 25 (03) 312-321
- National Research Council (US) Committee on Hearing, Bioacoustics, and Biomechanics. (1982). Tinnitus: Facts, Theories, and Treatments. National Academies Press (US);
- Prewitt A, Harker G, Gilbert TA. et al. Mental health symptoms among Veteran VA users by tinnitus severity: a population-based survey. Mil Med 2021; 186 (Suppl. 01) 167-175
- Radford K, Phillips J, Drummond A. et al. Return to work after traumatic brain injury: cohort comparison and economic evaluation. Brain Inj 2013; 27 (05) 507-520
- Sauer B, VanderWeele TJ. (2013). Use of directed acyclic graphs. In: Velentgas P, Dreyer NA, Nourjah P, Smith SR, & Torchia MM. (eds.), Developing a Protocol for Observational Comparative Effectiveness Research: A User's Guide. AHRQ Publication No. 12(13)-EHC099. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
- Sherlock LGP, Brungart DS. (2021). Functional impact of bothersome tinnitus on cognitive test performance. 60(12), 1000–1008. Accessed June 2, 2023 at: https://doi.org/10.1080/14992027.2021.1909760
- Silverberg ND, Panenka WJ, Iverson GL. Work productivity loss after mild traumatic brain injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2018; 99 (02) 250-256
- Sindhusake D, Golding M, Wigney D, Newall P, Jakobsen K, Mitchell P. Factors predicting severity of tinnitus: a population-based assessment. J Am Acad Audiol 2004; 15 (04) 269-280
- Theodoroff SM. Tinnitus questionnaires for research and clinical use. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 51: 403-418
- Trivedi RB, Post EP, Sun H. et al. Prevalence, comorbidity, and prognosis of mental health among US Veterans. Am J Public Health 2015; 105 (12) 2564-2569
- Tyler R, Ji H, Perreau A, Witt S, Noble W, Coelho C. Development and validation of the tinnitus primary function questionnaire. Am J Audiol 2014; 23 (03) 260-272
- US Department of Veterans Affairs. (2020). Veterans Benefits Administration Annual Benefits Report. The Fiscal 2020 Annual Benefits Report
- Vandana V, Darshini JK, Afsar M, Shukla D, Jamuna R. Getting back to work: cognitive-communicative predictors for work re-entry following traumatic brain injury. J Psychosoc Rehabil Ment Health 2022;
- Watts EJ, Fackrell K, Smith S, Sheldrake J, Haider H, Hoare DJ. Why is tinnitus a problem? A qualitative analysis of problems reported by tinnitus patients. Trends Hear 2018; 22: 2331216518812250
- Zigmond AS, Snaith RP. The hospital anxiety and depression scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1983; 67 (06) 361-370