The experience of Tinnitus in BCHA users: A qualitative study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the Lived Experience of Tinnitus in Bone-Conduction Hearing Aid Users: A Qualitative Study
IRAS ID
232198
Contact name
Helen Pryce-Cazalet
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Aston University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 0 days
Research summary
Tinnitus is the experience of hearing a noise without having an external sound source, and is experienced in upwards of every 1/10 people, increasing up to 30% of the population above 70 years old. Many people that experience tinnitus, also have a degree of hearing loss, and hearing aids have been shown to be helpful to many patients as a way of reducing how much they hear their tinnitus noise. Most research on the benefit of hearing aids in reducing tinnitus has focused on behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, however, little is known about the experience of tinnitus that patients with implanted bone-conduction hearing aids (BCHAs) have. BCHAs send sound to the cochlea by sending vibrations through the bones of the skull, and are often given to those that are unsuitable for BTE hearing aids, such as those with constantly discharging ears, repeated ear infections or middle ear disorders and disease. Research has shown that patients with repeatedly discharging and infected ears, and those with middle ear diseases, have a higher prevalence of tinnitus, however, as of yet, no qualitative research has been carried out to understand the lived experience of tinnitus within this sub-group of hearing aids users. It is currently unknown how well this sub-group manages their tinnitus, or if they feel their BCHAs provide a similar benefit to those patients using BTEs, and this study aims to understand this by conducting a series of qualitative focus groups as a method of finding this out. This study will recruit participants with both Tinnitus and BCHAs from Nottingham University Hospitals BCHA clinic, and the information gained will be beneficial for both patients and clinicians in understanding the experience of tinnitus after BCHA implantation, and the BCHAs potential impact on this experience.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SW/0274
Date of REC Opinion
15 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion