Purpose
This study aimed to assess the level of depression among older adults experiencing tinnitus and to identify predictive factors of depression through an analysis of secondary data.
Methods
Data from the ninth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2022 were utilized for this analysis. We examined individuals aged 60 years or older who had experienced tinnitus for more than 6 months. Complex sample analysis techniques were conducted, and multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of depression.
Results
The study included 231 participants. Significant differences in depression levels were observed across several demographics and health factors, including gender, education level, self-rated health status, living alone, and stress level. Depression levels were significantly correlated with self-rated health status, stress levels, and average sleep duration. Additionally, significant correlations were found between self-rated health and stress levels, self-rated health and the number of chronic diseases, as well as between stress levels and the number of chronic diseases. Multiple regression analysis indicated that self-rated health status (p<.001), stress level (p<.001), and average sleep duration (p=.042) were significantly associated with depression. Specifically, poorer self-rated health, higher stress levels, and shorter sleep duration were associated with higher levels of depression.
Conclusion
In older patients with tinnitus, self-rated health status, stress level, and average sleep duration significantly impact depression levels. These findings provide an important foundation for developing interventions to reduce depression in individuals with tinnitus.

Purpose
This study investigated the mediating effect of sleep discomfort in the relationship between tinnitus distress and depression.
Methods
This cross-sectional study used the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, the Korean Screening Tool for Depressive Disorders, and the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index to examine a convenience sample of 139 individuals with tinnitus who were selected from an online patient community in January 2023. Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and the PROCESS macro with 95% bootstrap confidence intervals. All statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS/WIN 25.0.
Results
Tinnitus distress exhibited a positive correlation with depression (r=.70, p<.001) and sleep discomfort (r=.33, p<.001), and depression showed a positive correlation with sleep discomfort (r=.52, p<.001). Further, sleep discomfort had a statistically significant partial mediating effect in the relationship between tinnitus distress and depression (β=.11; 95% CI, 0.05~0.18).
Conclusion
The findings of this study indicate that sleep discomfort plays a partial mediatory role in the relationship between tinnitus distress and depression. Intervention programs for improving sleep discomfort among individuals with tinnitus are recommended to reduce depression in this population. In addition, screenings for sleep discomfort and depression should be routinely carried out as part of the treatment strategy for individuals with tinnitus.

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to explore the process of symptom acceptance of tinnitus patients.
METHODS
Data were collected from October 2017 to March 2018 through individual in-depth interviews with 15 tinnitus patients. Verbatim transcripts and field notes were analyzed using grounded theory methodology developed by Corbin and Strauss.
RESULTS
The core category about the symptom acceptance of tinnitus patients was identified as “accepting tinnitus as an alarming sign to escape from the prison of ear ringing and maintain good health.” The acceptance of tinnitus consisted of three phases: “desperate effort”, “resigned reflection on the past stage”, and “voluntary change in viewpoint stage”.
CONCLUSION
The findings from this study show that tinnitus had a great impact on the life of the patients. The core category: “accepting tinnitus as an alarming sign to escape from the prison of ear ringing and maintain good health” shows the agony and endeavor of the patients in the process of accepting the symptom as the part of their life amid lack of social insight into tinnitus. Healthcare providers' cooperation is needed to build a supportive social atmosphere to help these patients empathetically and enhance their coping capabilities and symptom management. This finding will be helpful for developing educational programs and intervention guidelines and providing appropriate counseling services for these people.

Citations

• Predictors of Depression in Individuals Aged over 60 with Tinnitus: A Cross-Sectional Study
  Seohyeon Kim, Sunghee H. Tak
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2025; 37(1): 25.     CrossRef
• Mediating Effect of Sleep Discomfort in the Relationship between Tinnitus Distress and Depression: A Cross-sectional Study
  Woo Joung Joung
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2024; 36(3): 251.     CrossRef