Ground-breaking research on the way as Help Musicians UK announces partnership with the British Tinnitus Association during Tinnitus Week

05 February 2019 - Press release

HMUK to partner with British Tinnitus Association to undertake pioneering research delving into the effects, management and prevention of tinnitus experienced by musicians and music industry professionals.

 
Help Musicians UK (HMUK) today announced a new partnership with the British Tinnitus Association (BTA). HMUK will work alongside BTA to further the conversation around the impact of tinnitus with innovative new research into the condition’s effect on musicians and those working in the industry.

By teaming up with BTA, who currently operate the world’s only tinnitus helpline, HMUK will continue to invest in making meaningful, lasting differences to the lives of musicians across the UK. This in-depth study will create a strong evidence base from which HMUK can support and advocate for musicians living with tinnitus, alongside HMUK’s pioneering and hugely successful Musicians Hearing Health Scheme, available for both the prevention and management of the condition.

Surveys conducted by HMUK in 2015 showed 58% of respondents report living with tinnitus. This new breakthrough research aims to address both the lived experience of tinnitus and the need for more awareness, advice and services for musicians living with the condition by rigorously examining the impact of the condition on professional musicians within the UK. The study will focus on identification of preventative and management support currently being accessed, as well as the professional experience, obstacles to progression, everyday living and well-being of professional music creators.

David Stockdale, British Tinnitus Association Chief Executive, said
“We’re delighted to be working with Help Musicians UK to deliver new research into the as yet unchartered territory of tinnitus and its impact on musicians. BTA researchers will have access to a pool of HMUK-supported musicians and use a mixture of quantitative and qualitive methods to collect information, allowing for more in-depth insights than have ever been captured before. Considering everything from genre and frequency of performance, to instrument and the position it’s played in, the findings will pave the way for the broadest understanding of the effects of tinnitus within the UK music sector yet and open doors for effective, targeted support”.

Joe Hastings, Help Musicians UK Head of Health and Welfare, added:
“HMUK wants a world where musicians thrive, and we are especially excited to be announcing our partnership with the British Tinnitus Association during Tinnitus Week, while there’s a real focus on the condition and the serious effects it can have on the lives and careers of those who work in music. Musicians are at increased risk of hearing damage, and while our Hearing Health Scheme helped 5,076 musicians to protect their hearing last year, this research partnership will allow us to study the impact of tinnitus on professional musicians working in the UK and shape our offer and advocacy in the medium to long term”.