Social Media Use in Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and Vestibular Disorders: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: People are increasingly using social media outlets for gathering health-related information. There has also been considerable interest from researchers and clinicians in understanding how social media is used by the general public, patients, and health professionals to gather health-related information. Interest in the use of social media for audiovestibular disorders has also received attention, although published evidence synthesis of this use is lacking. The objective of this review article was to synthesize existing research studies related to social media use concerning hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders. METHOD: Comprehensive searches were performed in multiple databases between October and November 2020 and again in June 2021 and March 2022, with additional reports identified from article citations and unpublished literature. This review article was presented using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 1,512 articles were identified. Of these, 16 publications met the inclusion criteria. Overall, social media offered people the platform to learn about hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorders via advice and support seeking, personal experience sharing, general information sharing, and relationship building. Research studies were more common on information and user activities seen on Facebook Pages, Twitter, and YouTube videos. Misinformation was identified across all social media platforms for each of these conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Online discussions about audiovestibular disorders are evident, although inconsistencies in study procedures make it difficult to compare these discussion groups. Misinformation is a concern needing to be addressed during clinical consultations as well as via other public health means. Uniform guidelines are needed for research regarding the use of social media so that outcomes are comparable. Moreover, clinical studies examining how exposure to and engagement with social media information may impact outcomes (e.g., help seeking, rehabilitation uptake, rehabilitation use, and satisfaction) require exploration. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.20667672.

The Effects of Tinnitus on Significant Others.

Although chronic conditions could cause third-party disability for significant others (SOs), little is known regarding the impact of tinnitus on SO. This study aimed to identify the effects of tinnitus on SOs. SOs of individuals with tinnitus were invited to participate in this study. SOs completed three open-ended questions focusing on the effects of tinnitus. Individuals with tinnitus completed the Tinnitus Functional Index as a self-reported measure of tinnitus severity. A mixed-methods analysis approach was undertaken. Of the 156 SOs responding, 127 (85%) reported that tinnitus impacted them. The impact surrounded sound adjustments, activity limitations, additional demands, emotional toll, and helplessness. Tinnitus negatively affected the relationship for 92 (58%) due to communication frustrations and growing apart. When asked if tinnitus had any positive effects, 64 (47%) SOs reported positive lifestyle adaptions, personal development, health awareness, and a changed outlook. There was no association between the level of tinnitus severity and SOs reporting that tinnitus had an impact on them individually, their relationships, or those reporting positive experiences. The study highlighted the third-party disability many SOs of individuals with tinnitus experience. The results indicate that SOs may benefit from a shared intervention to help mitigate the negative effects through a better understanding of tinnitus.

The Impact of COVID-19 and the Pandemic on Tinnitus: A Systematic Review.

This review aimed to systematically review what has been published regarding tinnitus during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic up to March 2021 by performing both narrative and quantitative meta-analyses. Of the 181 records identified, 33 met the inclusion criteria, which generally had a fair risk of overall bias. In the included, 28 studies focused on the impact of the COVID-19 virus on tinnitus and 5 studies focused on the impact of the pandemic on tinnitus. From the studies identifying the impact of COVID-19 on tinnitus, there were 17 cross-sectional studies (n = 8913) and 11 case series or case report studies (n = 35). There were 2 cross-sectional studies (n = 3232) and 3 pre-post-test design studies (n = 326) focusing on the impact of the pandemic on tinnitus. No consistent patterns were found regarding the presentation of the tinnitus or additional factors that could have tinnitus developing in the disease impact studies. For the pandemic impact studies, the associated stress and anxiety of the pandemic were consistently suggested to contribute to tinnitus experiences. The pooled estimated prevalence of tinnitus post COVID-19 was 8% (CI: 5 to 13%). Medical professionals should be aware that tinnitus might be more problematic following the pandemic or after having COVID-19.