Tinnitus in Later Life: The Role of Socio-Cultural Determinants, Social Support, Health Conditions, and Lifestyle Behaviours among the Rural Elderly in North-Central Nigeria

Background: Tinnitus, defined as the perception of sound without external stimuli, significantly affects the life quality among elderly populations worldwide. This study investigated the prevalence and associations of tinnitus with socio-cultural determinants, social support, health conditions, and lifestyle behaviors among rural elderly residents in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara state, North-Central Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 427 elderly residents (≥65 years) using structured questionnaires to collect data on tinnitus symptoms, socio-demographic characteristics, cultural beliefs, social support (measured by the Oslo Social Support Scale), health conditions, and lifestyle behaviors. Chi-square analysis was employed to determine associations between variables. Results: Tinnitus prevalence was found to be 41.7% among participants. Observed was significant associations between tinnitus and educational status (χ² = 12.36, p = 0.006), age (χ² = 9.84, p = 0.007), cultural beliefs about loss of hearing (χ² = 18.73, p < 0.001), social support levels (χ² = 15.28, p < 0.001), hypertension (χ² = 11.42, p < 0.001), diabetes (χ² = 7.65, p = 0.006), and exposure to environmental noise (χ² = 14.32, p < 0.001). Low social support was more common among tinnitus sufferers (52.8%) compared to non-sufferers (31.5%). Conclusion: There is significant association between tinnitus among rural elderly Nigerians and socio-cultural factors, lack of social support, chronic health conditions, and lifestyle behaviors. Culturally sensitive interventions that address modifiable risk factors and strengthen social support systems are recommended to reduce tinnitus burden in this population.