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. 2010 Aug;49(8):580-5.
doi: 10.3109/14992021003753508.

The ten-year incidence of tinnitus among older adults

David M Nondahl  1 , Karen J Cruickshanks, Terry L Wiley, Barbara E K Klein, Ron Klein, Rick Chappell, Ted S Tweed
Affiliations

The ten-year incidence of tinnitus among older adults

David M Nondahl et al. Int J Audiol. 2010 Aug.

Abstract

As part of a population-based study in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, we estimated the 10-year cumulative incidence of tinnitus and its risk factors. Participants (n = 2922, aged 48-92 years) not reporting tinnitus at baseline (1993-1995) were followed for up to ten years. In addition to audiometric testing and anthropometric measures, data on tinnitus, health, and other history were obtained via questionnaire. Potential risk factors were assessed with discrete-time proportional hazards models. The 10-year cumulative incidence of tinnitus was 12.7%. The risk of developing tinnitus was significantly associated with: history of arthritis (hazard ratio (HR = 1.37), history of head injury (HR = 1.76), history of ever smoking (HR = 1.40), and among women, hearing loss (HR = 2.59). Alcohol consumption (HR = 0.63 for > or = 141 grams/week vs. <15 grams/week), age (among women, HR = 0.90 for each five-year increase in age), and among men, obesity (HR = 0.55), were associated with decreased risk. The risk of developing tinnitus was high for older adults, and associated with modifiable health and behavioral factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest pertaining to this work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effect of Hearing Loss on Risk of Developing Tinnitus (hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect of Smoking Cessation on Risk of Developing Tinnitus (hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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