The prevalence of tinnitus in Germany is 3.9%, yet there has been no national
systematic study of the costs caused by it.
The 259 chronic tinnitus patients in this retrospective clinical work were examined
in 2017/2018. They were interviewed regarding tinnitus-related medical care
and services of the health care system and their occupational situation. The hearing
ability (TSA) and tinnitus severity (TQ according to Göbel and Hiller) were
determined. In order to estimate the extent of the financial burden on society, the
data were analysed according to the severity of the disease in terms of health
system costs, private costs and national economic costs.
The calculated average total economic costs per tinnitus patient in Germany amount
to
4,798.91€. Of this, 2,206.95€ is attributable to the health care
system, 290.45€ is borne privately. The national economy loses
2,301.51€ due to loss of working hours. All patients in Germany affected by
chronic tinnitus thus incur costs totalling 15.55 billion euros. The average number
of days of absence per patient is 25.82 days, which is more than twice as high as
the average number of days of sick leave. All patients affected by chronic tinnitus
in Germany cause costs for the health care system alone totalling 7.2 billion euros.
The costs per tinnitus patient are thus higher than, e.g., for the chronic diseases
COPD and asthma.
Especially by comparing it with the data of other chronic widespread diseases in
Germany, it becomes clear that tinnitus is a serious problem, among other things
because of its macroeconomic effects.
