Tinnitus prevalence and care experience among population of Almaty city.

UNLABELLED

The prevalence of tinnitus is increasing worldwide along with the aging population. The absence of a gold standard for diagnosis and treatment makes it difficult to assess the health status of a patient with tinnitus.The aim was to determine the prevalence of tinnitus among older adults in Almaty city and to evaluate the healthcare experience among the respondents who received treatment for tinnitus.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among people aged 18 years and above in Almaty city. The data were collected using a questionnaire sent via a Google form and/or as a printed version. Fully completed responses were received from 851 respondents. The questionnaire consists of 31 questions. Simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors of tinnitus.

RESULTS

The prevalence of tinnitus in Almaty was 23.3%. The data showed that smoking and sleep regimen were associated with tinnitus. Older respondents indicated more symptoms associated with tinnitus than younger respondents did. Additional consultation was needed as part of the treatment of tinnitus. In addition, 49.4% of the respondents indicated a need of a support group for people with tinnitus. The respondents also indicated that the access to appropriate resources for the treatment of tinnitus was poor.

CONCLUSION

Similar to other studies, this analysis confirmed that tinnitus is prevalent in the adult population of Almaty city. Future activities should include measures for the improvement of public awareness of the risk factors of tinnitus, and multidisciplinary teamwork among healthcare specialists should be improved.