Almost 15 % of Europe’s adults have a ringing in their ears, say researchers

Abstract:

A new study reports what could be the first ever pan-European estimate of tinnitus sufferers in Europe based on standardised research methods across countries.

More than 1 in 7 adults in Europe experience a high-pitched ringing in the ears called tinnitus, according to a recent study supported by the EU-funded ESIT, UNITI and GENDER NET Plus projects. Until now, estimates of tinnitus prevalence varied widely – from 5 % to 43 %, mainly due to inconsistencies in research methods and assessment questions used in different studies. Published in the journal ‘The Lancet Regional Health – Europe’, the new study reports a single pan-European estimate for the prevalence of tinnitus.

The current study is more likely the first of its kind to have collected multinational data on tinnitus using the same standardised survey questions and response options across 12 European countries.  A total of 11, 427 adults aged 18 years and older took part in the population-based survey that spanned Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Spain.

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Official

EU CORDIS: Horizon 2020 Projects: ERA-NET Cofund Promoting Gender Equality in H2020 and the ERA https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/741874

EU CORDIS: Horizon 2020 Projects: European School for Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/722046

EU CORDIS: Horizon 2020 Projects: Unification of treatments and Interventions for Tinnitus patients https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/848261

Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre: 04/02/22: Hearing Theme raising awareness of tinnitus as numbers of patients predicted to rise https://nottinghambrc.nihr.ac.uk/about-nottingham-brc/news/3777-hearing-theme-raising-awareness-of-tinnitus-as-numbers-of-patients-predicted-to-rise

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