Abstract
Background: Tinnitus is a common auditory symptom which causes profound psychosocial distress and impairment in quality of life.
Objective: To evaluate the severity of tinnitus among adult patients attending a specialized audiology centre in Lahore, Pakistan with the help of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI).
Methodology: The methods used were cross sectional study in Audiology Centre Lahore during January to December 2025. A total of 108 adult patients (5.3%) were eligible for the THI and completed it from a total of 2,050 patients screened. Due to the confirmation of non-normal data distribution, non-parametric statistical analyses were used.
Results: The internal consistency of the THI was good (Cronbach's α = 0.937). The most common category was Grade 4 (Severe Handicap) which accounted for 29.6% of all cases. In 44.4% of cases, tinnitus was severe and catastrophic. Gender was not significantly associated with THI severity grade (χ²(4) = 4.559, p = .336) and there was no significant association between age and THI score (rs = −0.157, p = .104).
Conclusion: Tinnitus severity is high among the patients of the audiology clinics in Lahore. Routine THI screening is recommended in clinical practice in Pakistan.