title: An epidemiologic study of tinnitus in a population in Jiangsu Province, China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tinnitus is a common complaint and often of no clinical significance. There are a number of unresolved issues concerning the etiology, pathogenesis, and natural history of tinnitus. There are a few current population-based estimates of the prevalence of tinnitus done in representative large geographic areas, but there is little data from multi-area, large sample studies of tinnitus in China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of tinnitus and related factors in a Chinese population. These data would be used to plan and evaluate health-care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out an epidemiologic study of tinnitus as part of an epidemiologic study of ear and hearing disorders that was undertaken in Jiangsu Province, China. A question about tinnitus history was included in a comprehensive questionnaire about hearing. All participants also had both pure tone audiometry and an otological examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of 6333 people 10 yr of age or older, selected by the methods of probability proportional to size.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants answered a questionnaire concerning their tinnitus and had pure tone audiometry testing and an ear examination. All data were entered using EPIDATD 3.0 software and analyzed by a chi-squared test and test for trends.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of tinnitus was 14.5%, and the standardized rates were 11.4% in the whole country and 12.4% in Jiangsu province. Its prevalence increased with age. The prevalence of tinnitus was 11.9 and 15.6% in urban and rural residents, respectively There was no significant difference in prevalence between men and women. Hearing impairment, history of middle ear infections, and noise exposure were the main risk factors for tinnitus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tinnitus is a common problem in the population. With the aging of the population, the prevalence of tinnitus will increase. The prevention of tinnitus should focus on hearing impairment screening, otitis media treatment, and noise exposure reduction. Health services in rural areas should emphasize prevention more.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xingkuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Guangqian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dengyuan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult