Risk factors for tinnitus in a population of older adults: the blue mountains hearing study.
OBJECTIVE
To identify potential and modifiable risk factors for tinnitus in a population of older adults.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study. Detailed questionnaires were interviewer-administered in a representative sample of 2015 persons aged 55+ yr, living in an area west of Sydney, Australia. Air- and bone-conduction audiometric thresholds were measured from 250 to 8000 Hz and from 500 to 4000 Hz, respectively. TEOAE and SOAE were measured for both ears.


RESULTS
After adjusting for multiple variables in a Cox proportional hazards model, factors that significantly increased the risk of tinnitus were poorer hearing and cochlear function, self-reported work-related noise exposure, and history of middle ear or sinus infections, severe neck injury or migraine.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions aimed at reducing age-related hearing loss, particularly by reducing excessive work-related noise exposure, and the effective, timely treatment of ear-related infections, may all decrease the risk of tinnitus.
Sindhusake
Doungkamol
D
Departments fo Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2145, Australia.
Golding
Maryanne
M
Newall
Philip
P
Rubin
George
G
Jakobsen
Kirsten
K
Mitchell
Paul
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000150:complications; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology