Development of the International Tinnitus Inventory (ITI): A patient-directed problem questionnaire

Tinnitus can be a very troubling complaint but its impact may vary between individuals, both in the perceived severity and the aspects of life affected. The International Tinnitus Inventory (ITI) is an eight-item questionnaire based on the commonest patient reported complaints attributed to tinnitus. It is modelled on the International Outcomes Inventory - Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) to be brief, have a clear and simple response format and be comparable across languages. The psychometric properties of the English and French versions have been examined in this paper. Preliminary results show that the ITI is a robust questionnaire. It is unifactorial, has a good response rate and high internal consistency and it is easy to interpret. Responses from the inventory relate to hearing level but not to other demographic factors. The ITI is a simple and patient friendly measure which can be a helpful tool to highlight the predominant tinnitus-related complaint(s) of the individual, thus providing useful information not only about the tinnitus but also to help plan and assess a rehabilitation programme.