Hearing impairment and ear diseases among children of school entry age in rural South India.
OBJECTIVE
To find out the prevalence and causes of hearing impairment among children of school-entry age, in rural areas of coastal south India.


METHODS
The study adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines viz., "The Prevalence of Ear and Hearing Disorders Protocol". A total of 855 children studying in the first year of school were examined using a Portable Pure Tone Audiometer and an Otoscope. Children with hearing impairment were re-examined to find out the type of hearing impairment. Mothers of all children were interviewed in their homes, in order to obtain details of socio-economic status, family history and history of consanguinity.


RESULTS
Hearing impairment was detected in 102 children (11.9%) and impacted wax was found to be the most common cause of hearing impairment (86.3%). On re-testing, it was predominantly conductive hearing impairment (81.6%) observed among 74 of these children. The prevalence of hearing impairment was significantly lower among children belonging to high socio-economic status (P=0.0036).


CONCLUSIONS
Hearing impairment and preventable ear diseases were found to be important health problems among children of school-entry age group in this region. Regular screening of children of school-entry age will ensure that children begin their school-life without this disability.
Rao
R S Phaneendra
RS
Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal 576119, Karnataka, India. rsp.rao@kmc.manipal.edu
Subramanyam
Malavika A
MA
Nair
N Sreekumaran
NS
Rajashekhar
B
B
D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019720:Otoscopes; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012494:Sampling Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution