Prevalence and Factors Associated with Tinnitus: A Community-Based Study of Japanese Elders

Background: The prevalence of tinnitus is reported to be high in older Western populations, and several risk factors have been suggested. However, community-based evidence on prevalence is limited and, to our knowledge, there is no such information from older non-Western populations. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with tinnitus in community-dwelling Japanese elders. Methods: In this community-based cross-sectional study, 1320 residents of Kurabuchi Town aged 65 years or older (584 men and 736 women; participation proportion = 98.7%) were interviewed at home in 2006, and information on tinnitus and factors associated with tinnitus was collected. We estimated the prevalence of tinnitus by age group and sex and used a logistic regression model to investigate associated factors. Results: The prevalence of tinnitus was 18.6% (men: 18.0%; women: 19.0%); there were no statistically significant differences by age group or sex. Hearing difficulty, depressive mood, prescribed medication, past/current history of coronary heart disease, and knee joint pain requiring medical consultation were associated with tinnitus. Conclusions: These findings suggest that tinnitus is common in Japanese aged over 65 years. Because the factors associated with tinnitus in this cross-sectional study are potentially modifiable, they should be thoroughly investigated in a longitudinal study.