Abstract:
The objective of this scoping review was to describe the extent and type of evidence related to seeking help for tinnitus and
satisfaction with healthcare providers including diagnosis, services and treatments along the clinical pathway. The selection
criteria were adults aged 18 and over with tinnitus who sought help and where patient satisfaction with healthcare providers was
reported. Online databases MEDLINE (OvidSP), Embase (OvidSP), PsycINFO (OvidSP) and CINAHL plus (EBSCO) were
searched for original studies in English. The search had no date limit. Twenty-one records were eligible for data extraction.
Studies reported that the most common healthcare providers seen were general practitioners, ear, nose and throat specialists
and audiologists. Depression and tinnitus severity were related to an increase in the number of times help was sought and the
type of healthcare provider seen may also impact patient satisfaction. The majority of participants were unlikely to receive a
referral to a specialist at the initial GP consultation. Although there is limited research in this area, help-seekers for tinnitus were
generally dissatisfied and reported negative interactions with healthcare providers. However, once in a specialised tinnitus
clinical setting, studies reported that most help-seekers were satisfied and had positive interactions with healthcare providers.
