Data Mining for Gender Differences in Tinnitus

We perform data mining on the publicly available Tinnitus Archive. A number of statistically significant associations with gender were found using the Chi-squared test. These were age, onset rapidity, tinnitus localisation, number of tinnitus sounds heard, sleep interference due to tinnitus, feeling tired and ill because of tinnitus, index of noise exposure and subjective tinnitus pitch. No other associations with gender were statistically significant. In each case where a factor was found to be associated with gender, we analysed the data further by examining the standardised residuals. These showed that more men with tinnitus were younger, and more men had experience of noise exposure. Women were more likely to hear more than three sounds in their tinnitus, hear it in both ears, experience gradual onset of tinnitus, and hear it at lower pitches. Our findings are confirmed by the use of a measure derived from market basket analysis, that of lift.