title: Tinnitus impact: three different measurement tools.
abstract: The impact of tinnitus and overall levels of distress were measured with three assessment tools for patients with tinnitus. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and an activities limitations questionnaire were administered to 53 audiology patients reporting tinnitus. Forty-three percent of these patients experienced either quality of life reductions associated with tinnitus, substantial perceived handicap, and/or a high level of distress. Results from the General Severity Index (GSI) of the SCL-90-R indicated that 25% of these patients displayed distress greater than that of the general medical population. The SCL-90-R can be a useful tool for audiologists working with tinnitus patients in assessing needs for referral for psychological or psychiatric counseling.
authors.affiliation: Division of Audiology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. bauch.christopher@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Christopher D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Bauch
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: Donald E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Mellon
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Weaver
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*