Background: Preventable otologic conditions have been found to be important health issues among paediatric age group. Poor socioeconomic status and inappropriate management services in developing countries lead to various complications despite the fact that most of these diseases are self-limiting. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of ear diseases in school children of high and low socioeconomic status in Yola, Nigeria. Methods: This study was conducted in March 2017 in two primary schools (private and public) in Yola among 6 - 8 years old pupils. Approval for the study was obtained from Federal Medical Centre, Yola and consent was obtained from the parents/guardians and the school authorities. Using a health questionnaire, a brief ENT history was obtained from children in years 1 and 2 of each school. Otoscopic examination, audiometry and tympanometry were then carried out. Data collected was analysed using SPSS version 20. Results: One hundred and three children were studied. The age range was 6 - 8 with mean age of 6.8 ± 0.9 and 53 (51.5%) boys. Fifty-two (50.5%) were from public school (low socio-economic class) and 51 (49.5%) from private (high social class). Wax was the most common ear condition encountered affecting 37 (35.9%) children, and the number was similar in both groups. Otitis media with effusion (OME) was encountered in seven children evenly split between the two groups showing a point incidence of 6.8%. There was hearing loss in 13 (12.6%) children, and this was also similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Wax impaction was the commonest otologic disease encountered. Our study also showed a point incidence of 6.8% for OME, but there was no statistical difference between the two groups, and neither was there any statistically significant difference between the two groups in any of the other diseases encountered.
References
[1]
Thakur, S.K., Singh, S.K., Mahato, B., Singh, A. and Mahato D. (2015) Pattern of Otological Diseases in School-Going Children of the Sunsari District of Eastern Nepal. Internet Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, 17, 1-5.
[2]
Adhikari, P., Kharel, B., Ma, J., Baral, R., Pandey, T., Rijal, R., et al. (2008) Pattern of Otological Diseases in School Going Children of Kathmandu Valley. International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, 12, 502-505.
[3]
Kirfi, A., Mainasara, G., Sa'idu, A.T., Fufore, M. and Joseph, Y. (2014) Cerumen Auris in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi, North-Eastern Nigeria. Sudan Medical Monitor, 9, 75-80. https://doi.org/10.4103/1858-5000.146579
[4]
Sallavaci, S., Toci, E., Sallavaci, Y. and Stroni, G. (2014) Prevalence of Hearing Loss among First Grade School Children in Tirana, Albania—A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey. Otolaryngology, 4, Article No. 174. https://doi.org/10.4172/2161-119X.1000174
[5]
Johnson, D., Swank, P.R., Owen, M.J., Baldwin, C.D., Howie, V.M. and McCormick, D.P. (2000) Effects of Early Middle Ear Effusion on Child Intelligence at Three, Five, and Seven Years of Age. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 25, 5-13.
[6]
Kirfi, A.M., Fufore, M.B., Samdi, M.T. and Salisu, A.D. (2019) Wax Impaction among School Children Aged 7-17 Years in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna, Nigeria. Otolaryngology (Sunnyvale), 9, 376-377. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/25.1.5
[7]
Chadha, S.K., Agarwal, A.K., Gulati, A. and Garg, A. (2006) A Comparative Evaluation of Ear Diseases in Children of Higher versus Lower Socioeconomic Status. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology, 120, 16-19. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022215105001520
[8]
Eziyi, J.A., Amusa, Y.B., Nwawolo, C.C. and Ezeanolue, B.C. (2011) Wax Impaction in Nigerian School Children. East Central African Journal of Surgery, 16, 40-45.
[9]
Al-Humaid, H. and Abou-Halawa, A. (2014) Prevalence and Risk Factors of Otitis Media with Effusion in School Children in Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Health Sciences, 8, 329-338. https://doi.org/10.12816/0023990
[10]
Siddartha, Bhat, V., Bhandary, S., Shenoy. V. and Rashmi (2011) Otitis Media with Effusion in Relation to Socio Economic Status: A Community Based Study. Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, 64, 56-58. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-011-0163-4
[11]
Yadav, S., Saxena, S., Sharma, H., Singh, I. and Singh, J. (2006) Secretory Otitis Media: A School Health Survey. Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, 58, 250-252.
[12]
Vasconcellos, A.P., Colello, S., Kyle, M. and Shin, J. (2014) Societal-Level Risk Factors Associated with Pediatric Hearing Loss. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 151, 29-41. https://doi.org/10.1177/0194599814526561
[13]
Rose, D. and Pevalin, D.J. (2001) The National Statistics Socioeconomic Classification: Unifying Official and Sociological Approaches to the Conceptualisation and Measurement of Social Class. ISER Working Paper Series, University of Essex, Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), Colchester.
[14]
Olawale, S. (2017) Federal Civil Service Commission Salary Structure—Details and Analysis. https://naijaquest.com/federal-civil-service-commission-salary-structure/
[15]
Chishty, L.S., Hamid, S., Mohd, E., Chishty, L. and Wani, A. (2014) A Prospective Study of Hearing Impairment in School Going Children of Ghaziabad City Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital. Otolaryngology Online Journal, 4, 1-13.
[16]
Wong, T.W., Yu, T.S., Chen, W.Q., Chiu, Y.L., Wong, C.N. and Wong, A.H.S. (2003) Agreement between Hearing Thresholds Measured in Non-Sound Proof Work Environment and a Sound Proof Booth. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 60, 667-671. https://doi.org/10.1136/oem.60.9.667
[17]
Kirfi, A.M., Samdi, M.T., Salisu, A.D. and Fufore, M.B. (2019) Hearing Threshold of Deaf Pupils in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Survey. Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, 26, 164-168. https://doi.org/10.4103/npmj.npmj_56_19
[18]
Fufore, M.B., Kirfi, A.M., Salisu, A.D., Samdi, T.M., Abubakar, A.B. and Onakoya, P.A. (2019) Prevalence and Pattern of Hearing Loss in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Kaduna, Northwestern Nigeria. Indian Journal of Otology, 25, 201-205. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjotol.INDIANJOTOL_94_19
[19]
Simoes, E., Kiio, F., Carosone-Link, P., Ndegwa, S., Ayugi, J. and Macharia I. (2016) Otitis Media and Its Sequelae in Kenyan Schoolchildren. Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 5, 375-384. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpids/piv038
[20]
Yamamah, G., Mabrouk, A., Ghorab, E., Ahmady, M. and Abdulsalam, H. (2012) Middle Ear and Hearing Disorders of Schoolchildren Aged 7-10 Years in South Sinai, Egypt. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 18, 255-260. https://doi.org/10.26719/2012.18.3.255
[21]
Mahmoud, R., Shabana, M., Seleit, A., El-hamshary, A. and Hosnid, N. (2016) School-Based Hearing Screening Program in Children, Four to Seven Years Old, Quesnay City, Minufia, Egypt. Advanced Arab Academy of Audiovestibulogy Journal, 3, 35-42. https://doi.org/10.4103/2314-8667.202553
[22]
Sharma, H., Bhusan, V., Dayal, D. and Mishra, S.C. (1992) Preliminary Study of Hearing Handicap in School-Going Children. Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, 30, 119-124.
[23]
Jacob, A., Rupa, V., Job, A. and Joseph, A. (1997) Hearing Impairment and Otitis Media in a Rural Primary School in South India. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 39, 133-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-5876(96)01479-6
[24]
Al-Juboori, A.N., Al-Aqeedee, A.A. and Saeed, H.D. (2014) Otitis Media with Effusion in Children: A Follow up Study in West Baghdad, Iraq. Journal of Communication Disorders, Deaf Studies & Hearing Aids, 2, 1-5.
[25]
Nwosu, C., da Lilly-Tariah, O.B. and Onotai, L.O. (2017) Prevalence of Otitis Media with Effusion among Preschool Children in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Global Journal of Otolaryngology, 4, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.9734/IJTDH/2017/31363
[26]
Di Francesco, R.C., Barros, V.B. and Ramos, R. (2016) Otitis Media with Effusion in Children Younger than 1 Year. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 34, 148-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rppede.2016.01.003
[27]
MacIntyre, E.A., Karr, C.J., Koehoorn, M., Demers, P., Tamburic, L., Lencar, C. and Brauer, M. (2010) Otitis Media Incidence and Risk Factors in a Population-Based birth Cohort. Paediatrics & Child Health, 15, 437-442. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/15.7.437
[28]
Sharath, B., Prabakaran, J. and Radhakrishnan, S. (2016) Prevalence and Management of Otitis Media with Effusion amongst the School Going Children of a Rural Area in Puducherry. Bengal Journal of Otolaryngology and Head Neck Surgery, 24, 22-28. https://doi.org/10.47210/bjohns.2016.v24i1.68
[29]
Amusa, Y.B., Ijaduola, I.K. and Onayade, O.O. (2005) Epidemiology of Otitis Media in a Local Tropical African Population. West African Journal of Medicine, 24, 227-230. https://doi.org/10.4314/wajm.v24i3.28202
[30]
Bowie, C., Pearson, A.L., Campbell, M. and Barnett, R. (2014) Household Crowding Associated with Childhood Otitis Media Hospitalizations in New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 38, 211-215. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12162
[31]
Absalan, A., Pirasteh, I., Dashti-Khavidaki, G.A., Asemi-Rad, A., Esfahani, AN. and Nilforoush, M.H. (2013) A Prevalence Study of Hearing Loss among Primary School Children in the South East of Iran. International Journal of Otolaryngology, 2013, Article ID: 138935. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/138935
[32]
Skarzynski, P., Swierniak, W., Piłka, A., Skarżynska, M., Włodarczyk, A., Kholmatov, D., et al. (2016) A Hearing Screening Program for Children in Primary Schools in Tajikistan: A Telemedicine Model. Medical Science Monitor, 22, 2424-2430. https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.895967
[33]
Obukowho, O.L., Enekole, O.J. and Ifeoma, A. (2017) Risk Factors of Hearing Impairment among Lower Primary School Children in Port Harcourt. Global Journal of Otolaryngology, 5, Article ID: 555675. https://doi.org/10.19080/GJO.2017.05.555675
[34]
Klas, R. and Lacerda, A. (2014) The Audiometric Findings among Curitiba and Metropolitan Area Students. International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, 18, 165-171. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1366975
[35]
Nogueira, J.C.R. and Mendonca, M.D.C. (2011) Assessment of Hearing in a Municipal Public School Student Population. Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, 77, 716-720. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1808-86942011000600007
