Objectives: Tinnitus may negatively impact quality of life, emphasizing the importance of effective management to support patients’ well-being. This study aimed to gain insights into the current practices among audiologists in Saudi Arabia in assessing and managing tinnitus patients and to identify areas for improvement.Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed 96 audiologists using an electronic questionnaire comprising 30 items and 5 demographic questions. The questionnaire covered appointment structure, tinnitus assessment and management, outcome measures, determinants of successful management, clinical skills, resource availability, and satisfaction with services.Results: Only 14.6% of workplaces had specialized tinnitus clinics, and appointment durations were generally short. Of the audiologists, 32.3% reported practicing multidisciplinary care, while group therapy was not used, and family involvement was acknowledged by less than half. Audiological tests were widely used for assessment, but psychoacoustic measures and validated questionnaires were uncommon. Management primarily relied on hearing aids and counseling, with limited use of psychological approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Audiologists reported moderate satisfaction with their effectiveness in managing tinnitus (mean = 3.25 ± 0.98). Higher satisfaction was associated with working in specialized clinics, multidisciplinary teams, same-day assessment and treatment, and more trained audiologists available for counseling (all p < 0.05). However, none of these factors remained significant in regression analysis.Conclusion: Tinnitus practice in Saudi Arabia revealed notable discrepancies in approaches taken by audiologists, primarily due to limited training and resources. Establishing evidence-based guidelines, expanding professional training, and improving resource allocation are needed to enhance the quality and consistency of tinnitus care, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Background: Hearing loss and balance disorders are the most commonly diagnosed health conditions. The prevalence of these conditions is on the rise as the population ages and diagnostic and treatment technologies become more advanced. The health-care system still struggles to meet many nations’ needs due to insufficient resources and services. The objective of the study was to evaluate audiologists’ perceptions of hearing and balance health-care resources and services in Saudi Arabia’s public health system.Materials and Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted through E-mail, social media, mobile phone, and face-to-face with audiologists across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the final sample consisting of 66 audiologists.Results: The majority (92.4%) of audiologists in Saudi Arabia indicated that the services are inadequate because their hospitals lack adequate hearing health-care resources to provide efficient audiology services to patients. Video head impulse test and automated auditory brain stem response were perceived as unavailable in most hospitals. In addition, audiologists reported that vestibular rehabilitation services, cochlear implants, and the number of clinics were limited.Conclusion: Great efforts should be made to develop audiovestibular services, which include enhancing practitioners’ vestibular knowledge by implementing more vestibular workshops; more vestibular clinics are needed to overcome the shortage of vestibular services; creating public awareness campaigns about vestibular and audiology; and hiring additional audiologists where needed within Saudi Arabia.

Background: Otosclerosis is a bone disease of the ear that primarily affects women and can lead to progressive hearing loss. Delays in diagnosis and treatment may occur due to limited awareness of the condition. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and perception of otosclerosis among women in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over 3 months, including 508 Saudi women aged 18 years and above. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 30. The Kruskal–Wallis test was applied to examine differences in knowledge and perception across demographic groups. Results: Most participants were between 18 and 30 years of age (70.7%), held a bachelor’s degree (63.4%), were students (51.8%), single (66.5%), and residing in the central region (77.0%). The mean knowledge score was 2.44 (SD ± 2.03), indicating low awareness, while the mean perception score was 18.18 (SD ± 3.32), reflecting generally moderate positive attitudes. No statistically significant differences in knowledge or perception were observed across age groups, education levels, or regions ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: Public understanding of otosclerosis in Saudi Arabia is inadequate, and reliance on unofficial sources may contribute to misinformation. Efforts to improve health literacy through public campaigns, reliable online resources, and greater involvement of healthcare providers are essential.

Background: Down syndrome is a genetic disorder present from birth, leading to various physical and cognitive challenges. Some children with Down syndrome also experience hearing loss. The combined impact of raising a child with Down syndrome and hearing loss can affect the quality of life (QoL) of mothers. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in QoL between mothers of children with Down syndrome who have hearing loss and those without hearing loss.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 mothers of children with Down syndrome. Data were collected using the Arabic version of the WHOQOL-BREF, which assesses the QoL across four domains, including physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment, with scores ranging from 0-100.Results: In the studied sample, 16.5% of mothers reported that their child had hearing loss. The mean QoL scores for the total sample were 65.8 ± 18.6 in physical health, 72.6 ± 17.5 in psychological health, 65.6 ± 13.7 in social relationships, and 68.7 ± 16.8 in environment. There were no significant differences in QoL scores across any domain between mothers of children with and without hearing loss (p > 0.05). Mothers’ perceptions of their overall QoL and health were high and similar between both groups.Conclusion: Most mothers in this study reported satisfactory QoL. While HL does not seem to drastically affect overall QoL across various domains, it is evident that social challenges persist.

To assess self-perceived balance function in adults after cochlear implantation and explore factors associated with postoperative vertigo. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among adult cochlear implant recipients (≥18 years). Collected data included demographics, hearing history, vestibular symptoms before and after implantation, and satisfaction with hearing outcomes. Chi-square analysis was used to examine associations between vertigo and clinical variables. A total of 50 adult participants were included. Perception of vertigo was reported by 38% prior to implantation and 48% post-implantation. Among those with post-implant symptoms, 58.3% experienced vertigo daily, and 54.2% rated their symptoms as moderate in severity. The majority of symptoms developed within one month post-surgery. Male sex was significantly associated with a higher incidence of post-implant vertigo (p = 0.049), while no significant associations were observed with other factors. Nearly half of adult cochlear implant recipients reported postoperative vertigo, with many describing symptoms of moderate severity that interfered with daily activities. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating systematic pre- and post-operative vestibular assessment and follow-up into standard cochlear implant care.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of healthcare quality, supporting continuity of care and improved health outcomes. Assessing patients’ experiences in audiology clinics is therefore essential to enhance service delivery. This study aimed to evaluate patient satisfaction with audiologists’ services in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire distributed across social media platforms. The survey collected data on participants’ demographics, satisfaction with service quality, overall patient experience. The satisfaction score was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Very Dissatisfied to 5 = Very Satisfied). Overall satisfaction was high, with mean scores for most service elements exceeding 4.12 on this scale. Result: A total of 387 participants completed the survey; most were female (73.9%) and from the Central Region (58.9%). Overall satisfaction was high, with mean scores for most service elements exceeding 4.12. The highest satisfaction was reported for clinic cleanliness and organization (M = 4.58, SD = 0.69), while the lowest was for communication with audiologists (M = 3.71, SD = 1.26). Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) was the most frequently performed test (55.5%), whereas advanced assessments such as balance testing and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) were rarely conducted. Significant differences were observed by gender, with males reporting higher satisfaction than females ( p = 0.012), and by region, with Central Region participants expressing greater satisfaction compared to other regions ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: While patients generally expressed high satisfaction with audiology services, disparities by gender, region, and test availability highlight the need for region-specific strategies, improved access to advanced diagnostics, and continued efforts to enhance service quality nationwide. Patient or public contribution: Patients participated in this study by completing the survey, which captured their experiences and satisfaction with audiology services. However, patients, caregivers, or members of the public were not directly involved in the design, conduct, analysis, or interpretation of the study. Given the methodological focus on quantitative survey responses, formal patient or public involvement in study design was not deemed appropriate.