Status of the tinnitus management program in India-A Survey.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study is to figure out the status of tinnitus management program (TMP) being conducted in India, to estimate the use of different tinnitus management program, to study the role of various professionals involved and document the current practices of audiologist in country. DESIGN A questionnaire on "tinnitus management survey" was developed and distributed to 150 institutions all over India. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The return rate of the Questionnaire was 32.6%, 7 were received from Medical Colleges (MCs) and 42 from speech and hearing clinics (SHCs). Hence, the rates of TMP have not taken up appropriately in the various hospitals and clinics as yet. 71.4% SHCs have the provision of TMP, 74.28% of the institutes have less than 50% of the patients improving with the TMP, involving Audiologists in 62.85% of the institutes. 54.28% of the institutes opted for Tinnitus Masking out of the various tinnitus management programs. Outside funding for TMP was not received by 91.42% of the institutes. 60% of the institutes were provided TMP with hearing aids. 71.42% of the SHCs feel TMP is partially helpful to tinnitus sufferers thus funding should be undertaken by the Government for ensuring effectual program all over India.