A Qualitative Study of Veterans' Perspectives on Tinnitus: An Invisible Wound.

Autor: Clark KD; VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service, National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland.; VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Innovation, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, OR., Coco L; VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service, National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Innovation, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland.; School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, CA., Zaugg T; School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, CA., DeFrancesco S; VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Innovation, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; Oregon Health and Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health., Kaelin C; VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service, National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, OR., Henry JA; VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service, National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland., Carlson KF; VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service, National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; VA Health Services Research & Development Center of Innovation, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, OR.; Oregon Health and Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: American journal of audiology [Am J Audiol] 2023 Nov 20, pp. 1-14. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Nov 20.
DOI: 10.1044/2023_AJA-23-00040
Abstrakt: 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.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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