Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T12:27:23.607Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Tinnitus severity measured by a subjective scale, audiometry and clinical judgement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Jonathan B.S. Halford  and
Stewart D. Anderson
Jonathan B.S. Halford*
Affiliation:
London
Stewart D. Anderson
Affiliation:
London
*
Mr Jonathan B. S. Halford, Department of Neurophysiology, Cromwell Hospital, Cromwell Road, London SW5 0TU.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Tinnitus is discussed, with particular reference to the problem of assessing severity. The authors argue that tinnitus severity can only usefully be determined by measuring the impact of tinnitus on an individual, and therefore propose a scale to estimate severity in these terms. Data presented on 112 members of a tinnitus self-help group, demonstrated the reliability of a Subjective Tinnitus Severity Scale (S.T.S.S.), with a coefficient alpha of 0.84. This indicates a high degree of internal consistency, i.e.: statistically this scale is measuring aspects of a single dimension. The validity was established in a separate sample of 30 clinic attenders, where mean S.T.S.S. scores were found to correlate highly with two independent clinical ratings of severity (r2 = 0.76, p<0.001, and r2 = 0.73, p<0.001). Additionally, in these patients S.T.S.S. scores were significantly associated with several audiometric variables, although the correlations were of low magnitude.

Keywords

TinnitusAudiometry
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 105 , Issue 2 , February 1991 , pp. 89 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brown, R. D., Penny, J. E., Henley, C. M., Hodgis, K. B., Kupetz, S. A., Glenn, D. W., Jobe, P. C. (1981) Ototoxic drugs and noise. In: Tinnitus: Ciba Foundation Symposium 85. London: Pitman: p 151–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hallam, R. S., Rachman, S., Hinchcliffe, R. (1984) Psychological aspects of tinnitus. In: Contributions to medical psychology. (Rachman, S. ed.) vol 3. Oxford: Pergamon Press: p 31–50.Google Scholar
Jakes, S. C., Hallam, R. S., Chambers, C., Hinchcliffe, R. (1985). A factor analytical study of tinnitus complaint behaviour. Audiology, 24: 195–206.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meikle, M., Taylor-Walsh, E. (1984). Characteristics of tinnitus and related observations in over 1800 tinnitus clinic patients. In: Proceedings of the second international tinnitus seminar (Shulman, A. ed.). Journal of Laryngology and Otology, Supplement 9: 17–21.Google Scholar
MRC Institute of Hearing Research (1987). Epidemiology of tinnitus. In: Tinnitus (Hazell, J. W. P., ed). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone: p 46–70.Google Scholar
Nunnaly, J. C. Jnr, (1970). Introduction to Psychological Measurement. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hall.Google Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Survey's (1983). General Household Survey. The prevalence of tinnitus 1981. OPCS Monitor GHS 83/1. London: OPCS.Google Scholar
Reich, G. E., Johnson, R. M. (1984) Personality characteristics of tinnitus patients. In: Proceedings of the second international tinnitus seminar. (Shulman, A. ed). Journal of Laryngology and Otology, Supplement 9: 228–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, P., Coles, R. (1987) Epidemiology of tinnitus: an update. In: Proceedings of the third international tinnitus seminar. (Feldmann, H. ed). Harsch Verlag; Karlruhe: p 147–153.Google Scholar
Stephens, R. D. G., Hallam, R. S. (1985) The Crown-Crisp Experiential Index in patients complaining of tinnitus. British Journal of Audiology, 19: 151–158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, R. S., Baker, L. J. (1983) Difficulties experienced by tinnitus sufferers. Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, 48:150–154.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tyler, R. S., Conrad-Armes, D. (1983) The determination of tinnitus loudness considering the effects of recruitment. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 26: 59–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed