Tinnitus severity is reduced with reduction of depressive mood--a prospective population study in Sweden.
Tinnitus, the perception of sound without external source, is a highly prevalent public health problem with about 8% of the population having frequently occurring tinnitus, and about 1-2% experiencing significant distress from it. Population studies, as well as studies on self-selected samples, have reported poor psychological well-being in individuals with tinnitus. However, no study has examined the long-term co-variation between mood and tinnitus prevalence or tinnitus severity. In this study, the relationship between depression and tinnitus prevalence and severity over a 2-year period was examined in a representative sample of the general Swedish working population. Results show that a decrease in depression is associated with a decrease in tinnitus prevalence, and even more markedly with tinnitus severity. Hearing loss was a more potent predictor than depression for tinnitus prevalence, but was a weaker predictor than depression for tinnitus severity. In addition, there were sex differences for tinnitus prevalence, but not for tinnitus severity. This study shows a direct and long-term association between tinnitus severity and depression.
École d'orthophonie et d'audiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal, BRAMS, International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research, and Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. sylvie.hebert@umontreal.ca
Sylvie
S
Hébert
Barbara
B
Canlon
Dan
D
Hasson
Linda L
LL
Magnusson Hanson
Hugo
H
Westerlund
Töres
T
Theorell
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology