Awareness and experience of tinnitus among young adults in the state of Karnataka, India - An online survey

Abstract

The causes and the auditory/non auditory effect of tinnitus on quality of life were studied extensively. Tinnitus can affect an individual at any point of time and has multiple causes. Limited studies have investigated the awareness of tinnitus and the experience of tinnitus among healthy young adults. The current survey investigated the awareness and experience of ‘tinnitus’ among healthy young adults in the state of Karnataka, India through an online survey. Healthy young adults aged 18 to 40 years from different parts of the state of Karnataka were targeted and a total of 304 individuals voluntarily participated in the online survey. Responses showed that about 55% ofparticipants have heard the term “tinnitus” and only 36.18% were aware of tinnitus. When the term ‘tinnitus’ was defined, more than 54% of participants responded that they have experienced tinnitus at least once in their lifetime. Majority of the participants reported prolonged use of personal listening devices at loud and moderate volumes. 13.81% of participants believed that tinnitus can have a devastating effect on the quality of life and only few (29.62%) were aware that tinnitus could be treated. Unhealthy listening habits are potential risk factors for developing hearing loss and tinnitus among young adults. The survey highlights the need for creating awareness about seeking timely management and developing healthy listening habits among young adults to prevent the adverse effects of tinnitus. This needs to be implemented through future preventive campaigns, educational, and social media awareness programs.