Journal article
A Qualitative Study of Veterans' Perspectives on Tinnitus: An Invisible Wound
American journal of audiology, v 33(1), pp 92-105
01 Mar 2024
PMID: 37433305
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Purpose: Tinnitus is highly prevalent among U.S. military Veterans, yet referral to, and use of, tinnitus rehabilitation services to improve quality of life and functional status with tinnitus is low. Veterans with tinnitus often have other health issues that overlap or exacerbate the impact of tinnitus, potentially complicating referral and rehabilitative pathways. This qualitative study explores views on the daily impacts of tinnitus and experiences with tinnitus-related health care among Veterans. The goal of this research is to amplify the voices of Veterans regarding their experiences with tinnitus to illuminate the physiological and socioemotional sequelae associated with the condition and to increase clinician awareness of the complex, interdisciplinary rehabilitative needs among Veterans with bothersome tinnitus. Method: This qualitative study was part of a larger study about tinnitus and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Veterans were sampled to represent national Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) users with and without comorbid TBI, and who were or were not interested in tinnitus rehabilitation services. Forty Veterans with tinnitus were interviewed (32 men, eight women). Data were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. Results: Major themes across the Veteran interviews included (a) functional effects of tinnitus on daily life, (b) tinnitus and other health conditions, (c) reactions to the lack of a cure for tinnitus, (d) strategies to improve quality of life and function, and (e) use of VA services for tinnitus. Conclusions: Our findings highlight that bothersome tinnitus negatively impacted various aspects of daily functioning, including communication, sleep, concentration, and mood, suggesting a need for audiologists to work closely with mental health services to improve quality of life and functional status for those negatively impacted by the condition. Future work is needed to obtain the viewpoints of clinicians and other health care partners to better understand the barriers and facilitators to providing evidence -based tinnitus treatment in VA and non -VA settings.
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Details
- Title
- A Qualitative Study of Veterans' Perspectives on Tinnitus: An Invisible Wound
- Creators
- Khaya D. Clark - Oregon Health & Science UniversityLaura Coco - VA Portland Health Care SystemTara Zaugg - Google (United States)Susan DeFrancesco - VA Portland Health Care SystemChristine Kaelin - VA Portland Health Care SystemJames A. Henry - VA Portland Health Care SystemKathleen F. Carlson - VA Portland Health Care System
- Publication Details
- American journal of audiology, v 33(1), pp 92-105
- Publisher
- Amer Speech-Language-Hearing Assoc
- Number of pages
- 14
- Grant note
- 121 RX002216-01; C9427S; C9230C / Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (SPiRE) 1 UL1 RR024140 01 / Oregon Clinical and Translational Research Institute at Oregon Health and Science University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Audiology - Distance
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001245952000008
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85188750491
- Other Identifier
- 991022057800404721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Source: SDGs in the Output
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Audiology & Speech-language Pathology
- Otorhinolaryngology