Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/40558
Title: Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation Interventions for Self-management of Tinnitus: Systematic Review
Authors: DEMOEN, Sara 
CHALIMOURDAS, Antonios 
TIMMERMANS, Annick 
Van Rompaey, Vincent
Vanderveken, Olivier M.
Jacquemin, Laure
Schlee, Winfried
MARNEFFE, Wim 
LUYTEN, Janis 
Gilles, Annick
MICHIELS, Sarah 
Issue Date: 2023
Publisher: JMIR PUBLICATIONS, INC
Source: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH, 25 (Art N° e39076)
Abstract: Background: Tinnitus is a highly prevalent symptom affecting 10%-20% of the adult population. Most patients with tinnitus have chronic tinnitus, which can directly or indirectly disrupt their daily life and negatively affect the health-related quality of life. Therefore, patients with tinnitus are frequently in need of costly and time-consuming treatments. As an answer, telerehabilitation interventions are on a rise to promote self-management in patients with tinnitus and reduce their dependency on in-person care. Objective: This systematic review aimed to provide an overview of the research concerning the effectiveness of telerehabilitation interventions for self-management of tinnitus. Methods: This systematic review adheres to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Studies were eligible for inclusion if study participants were adult patients with complaints of primary subjective tinnitus and the study intervention comprised any possible telerehabilitation form for the self-management of tinnitus complaints. A search for eligible studies was conducted on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool was used to the assess risk of bias. Results: In total, 29 articles were found eligible, and of these, 5 (17%) studied multiple telerehabilitation forms. Internet-based cognitive behavioral treatment with guidance by a psychologist or audiologist was examined in 17 studies (n=1767), internet-based cognitive behavioral treatment without guidance was examined in 4 studies (n=940), self-help manuals were examined in 1 study (n=72), technological self-help devices were examined in 2 studies (n=82), smartphone apps were examined in 8 studies (n=284), and other internet-based interventions were examined in 2 studies (n=130). These rehabilitation categories were proven to be effective in decreasing tinnitus severity and relieving tinnitus distress as measured by tinnitus questionnaires such as Tinnitus Functional Index, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, or Tinnitus Reactions Questionnaire. However, dropout rates were often high (range 4%-71.4%). All studies reported between some concerns and high concerns of risk of bias, resulting in low to moderate certainty levels. Conclusions: Overall, there is low to moderate quality evidence that telerehabilitation interventions effectively reduce tinnitus severity and distress. These interventions form a possible tool to improve the self-management capacities of the patient and the accessibility of tinnitus care as a replacement or an addition to in-person care. Nevertheless, barriers such as lack of time, engagement, motivation, and openness of the patient causing high dropout should be considered.
Notes: Demoen, S (corresponding author), Hasselt Univ, Fac Rehabil Sci, Rehabil Res Ctr, Martelarenlaan 42, B-3500 Hasselt, Belgium.
sara.demoen@uhasselt.be
Keywords: tinnitus;audiology;systematic review;telerehabilitation;self-management;intervention;quality of life;internet;self-help;mobile phone
Document URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1942/40558
ISSN: 1439-4456
DOI: 10.2196/39076
ISI #: 001007152100006
Rights: Sara Demoen, Antonios Chalimourdas, Annick Timmermans, Vincent Van Rompaey, Olivier M Vanderveken, Laure Jacquemin, Winfried Schlee, Wim Marneffe, Janis Luyten, Annick Gilles, Sarah Michiels. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 09.02.2023. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
Category: A1
Type: Journal Contribution
Appears in Collections:Research publications

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