SETTING THE PRIORITIES FOR TINNITUS RESEARCH
4 January 2012
Despite ongoing research activity in the UK and other countries, there are still so many questions about tinnitus assessment, diagnosis and treatment that remain unanswered. These unanswered questions will form the basis of future research and so it is important that we understand which of those questions to prioritise.
This survey is about identifying those priorities for future tinnitus research. The project is being overseen by the James Lind Alliance and led by the British Tinnitus Association and the National Biomedical Research Unit in Hearing (NBRUH). For more information please visit their website: http://www.tinnitus.org.uk/JLA or contact the BTA (details at the end of this message)
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
You can enter the survey online via Tinnitus Survey
We are inviting you to take part in the survey by contributing what you think are the unanswered questions about tinnitus assessment, diagnosis and treatment.
You should:
- Read the background information in Section 1 before completing the survey
- In Section 2, please write down what you think are unanswered question(s) on tinnitus.
- In Section 3, please provide us with a little background information about yourself.
- In Section 4, indicate if you would like to be kept informed on the project.
Please return your completed survey (Sections 2, 3 and 4) by 28th February 2012 either by post or by email to NAJIBAH MOHAMAD at:
Post:
National Biomedical Research Unit in Hearing
Ropewalk House
113 The Ropewalk
Nottingham
NG1 5DU
JLA tinnitus survey
British Tinnitus Association
FREEPOST NEA 13451
Sheffield
S8 0WF
Email:Nottingham AC UK
Contacts
If you have any questions about the project please contact The British Tinnitus Association: , Telephone: 0114 250 9933
SECTION 1- BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The aim of the project is to identify the unanswered questions about tinnitus assessment, diagnosis and treatment from patient and clinical perspectives and then to prioritise those questions that patients and clinicians agree are the most important. This will help shape the future of tinnitus research in the UK and worldwide. The project will be independently overseen by the James Lind Alliance, a non-profit making initiative. They specialise in bringing patients and clinicians together to identify and prioritise uncertainties, or 'unanswered questions', about the effects of treatments that they agree are most important. The James Lind Alliance is internationally recognised as an authoritative and independent organisation to guide this work and produce an unbiased result, which gives equal weighting to the views of patients and clinicians. James Lind Alliance is funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
For further information see Tinnitus UK
Why are we doing this?
Approximately 10 per cent of the UK adult population experience tinnitus. If not diagnosed and treated properly, it may have a significant impact on their lives. It is therefore important to better understand the impact of current care for people with tinnitus, from assessment to treatments, and how effective it is. The outcome of the Tinnitus Priority Setting Partnership project will be a set of research questions, prioritised by patients and clinicians that can then be used to encourage researchers to investigate what is most important to both groups. Research funders can then use the list to identify research applications which will answer questions that patients and clinicians have agreed are a priority. The project will also help to increase awareness of why research into tinnitus is necessary and important. It will be used to campaign for major funders to invest in tinnitus research, as there will have been an independent process to identify what research is necessary and relevant. What are ‘unanswered’ questions about tinnitus assessment, diagnosis, and treatment? These are questions that cannot be answered at the moment by the existing research.
To help you understand what is an ‘unanswered question’, here are some examples of unanswered questions that were submitted for other health problems:
- Are breathing exercises helpful in controlling asthma?
- What is the evidence for gargling aspirin to relieve a sore throat?
- How safe is it for my baby if I am breastfeeding and taking antidepressant medication?
- Is monochloroacetic acid more effective for the treatment of warts than liquid nitrogen?
