Organizational Aspects and Outcomes of a Hearing Screening Program Among First-Grade Children in the Mazovian Region of Poland.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe and assess a hearing screening program of first-grade children in Poland. The program aimed to detect hearing disorders and increase awareness among parents of hearing problems. Method A hearing screening program was conducted in all elementary schools of the biggest region in Poland. A total of 34,618 first-graders were screened. The hearing screening protocol included video otoscopy and pure-tone audiometry. The program also included an information campaign directed to the local community and educational meetings between parents and medical staff. Results The estimated prevalence of hearing loss was 11%. Unilateral hearing loss was more common than bilateral hearing loss. Mild hearing loss was more frequent than moderate (or worse) hearing loss. In otoscopy, the most common positive result was otitis media with effusion. Parents and medical staff took part in 1,608 educational meetings, broadening the parents' knowledge of how to care for hearing. Conclusions A hearing screening program not only provides data on the prevalence of childhood hearing problems but is also an avenue for providing the local community with valuable knowledge about how to care for hearing. This study demonstrated the importance for systematic monitoring of children's hearing status and of increasing awareness among parents and teachers of the significance of hearing loss. The hearing screening of children starting school should become a standard part of school health care programs.

How to Interpret Tinnitus Functional Index Scores: A Proposal for a Grading System Based on a Large Sample of Tinnitus Patients.

OBJECTIVES: The Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) is considered the gold standard in measuring tinnitus severity. The aim of the study was to establish reference values to improve the interpretability of TFI scores. DESIGN: Results from 1114 patients with tinnitus were retrospectively analyzed. The participants were consecutive patients who attended our tertiary referral Ear, Nose, and Throat Center. The eligibility criteria were: at least 18 years old, persistent tinnitus, completed pure-tone audiometry, and answered all 25 items on the TFI. Hearing status (normal hearing vs. hearing impairment) was established according to the recommendation of the Bureau International d'Audiophonologie. Means (M) and SD on the TFI were the basis for grading tinnitus severity on four levels: low, lower moderate, upper moderate, and high. To gauge individual scores in clinical practice, percentiles are also proposed. RESULTS: All 1114 patients (586 women and 528 men) were Caucasian and aged from 19 to 87 years (M = 50.96; SD = 13.10 years). Tinnitus duration ranged from 0.5 to 50 years (M = 7.17; SD = 7.71 years). There were 258 patients with normal hearing and 856 patients with hearing loss. A score of above 65 points on TFI was established as the cutoff point for diagnosing high tinnitus severity. A regression model associating tinnitus severity with gender, age, tinnitus duration, and hearing loss was statistically significant: F(4,1109) = 8.99; p < 0.001, but the effect was very small (R2adj = 0.028) and only gender and age were associated with TFI global score, while tinnitus severity was not related to tinnitus duration or hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: The reference values proposed here support those reported previously by Meikle et al. They are empirically based and can be used as benchmarks in clinical practice and scientific research. They make it possible to assess tinnitus severity, evaluate individual scores, and categorize individuals with tinnitus. This allows researchers to set inclusion or exclusion criteria when assigning patients to specific groups during clinical trials involving tinnitus intervention strategies.

A revised grading system for the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory based on a large clinical population.

Objective: Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) is one of the world's most commonly used tools to assess tinnitus severity. The aim of the current study was to establish a revised THI grading system using standard Z-scores and percentiles.Design: Cross-sectional observational study.Study sample: Adult patients (1042 participants - 518 (49.7%) female and 524 (50.3%) male) reporting tinnitus duration of a minimum of 6 months with complete documentation on patient's clinical status (age, gender, tinnitus duration and laterality, tinnitus handicap based on THI and hearing status based on pure-tone audiometry) were included in the study.Results: Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyse the effects of gender and hearing loss on THI scores and revealed there was a significant effect of both. Consequently, separate grading systems for women and men, as well as for subjects with normal hearing and hearing loss, is proposed.Conclusions: Our findings are generally consistent with existing grading. Normative values proposed for THI scores, based on a large group of tinnitus patients, could be useful to guide decisions about appropriate intervention options or to evaluate treatment outcomes.