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Semin Hear 2018; 39(02): 123-134
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1641739
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Hearing Aids as a Treatment for Tinnitus Patients with Slight to Mild Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Suzanne H. Kimball
1   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
,
Carole E. Johnson
1   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
,
Johnathan Baldwin
2   Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
,
Kristen Barton
1   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
,
Caitlyn Mathews
1   Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
,
Jeffrey L. Danhauer
3   Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
15 June 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Persons with clinically significant tinnitus also may have mild sensorineural hearing loss (MSNHL). The purpose of this study was to describe patients with tinnitus and MSNHL and factors predicting hearing-aid uptake (HAU). We conducted a retrospective chart review with regression modeling of patients presenting to a specialty tinnitus clinic over a 2.5-year period. Stepwise logistic regression on data from patient charts was conducted. Of 133 patients seen, two-thirds had MSNHL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 58.9–75.0; mean age = 53.4 years; standard deviation = 14.5); approximately 50% had severe-to-catastrophic tinnitus. Logistic regression indicated that four-frequency pure-tone average (FFPTA; left) (β = 0.3899, χ 2 = 10.96, degrees of freedom [DF] = 1, p = 0.0009) and age (β = 0.1273, χ 2 = 4.86, DF = 1, p = 0.0274) were positively associated with HAU; tinnitus severity was inversely related (β = − 1.0533, χ 2 = 4.24, DF = 1, p = 0.0395). Adjusting for key variables, odds of receiving hearing aids was 1.14 (95% CI: 1.01–1.27) times higher with every year increase in age, 1.48 (95% CI: 1.17–1.86) times higher per one point increase in FFPTA (left), and 0.35 (95% CI: 0.13–0.95) times less per one point increase in tinnitus severity score. Reasons why HAU was not high for this special sample of young adults with severe tinnitus and MSNHL are discussed; hearing aid treatment requires extensive counseling and follow-up for this population.

Keywords

mild hearing loss - tinnitus - rehabilitation
 

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