A practical screening model for hearing loss in Iranian school-aged children.
BACKGROUND
Hearing loss is a common and considerable disability that harms educational performance of school children in developing countries like Iran. Lack of a simple and practical screening protocol often deters routine and systematic hearing screening at school entry.


METHODS
This study was to establish a practical screening model for hearing loss in school-aged children based on a community-based, retrospective casecontrol study in Ilam, the capital of Ilam province in Iran. Results from the audiologic and non-audiologic examination of 785 children in primary schools were selected and examined. The non-audiologic evaluation consisted of medical history, general physical examination, while the audiologic assessment consisted of otoscopy, audiometry and tympanometry.


RESULTS
Univariate analysis of non-audiologic variables showed an association between hearing loss and male gender (P<0.05) and the grade of study (P<0.05). The frequency of impaired hearing in the first grade of primary schools was significantly higher than the children in the second grade (P<0.05). In audiologic factors related to impaired hearing, otitis media with effusion (OME) was diagnosed significantly (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Routine screening based on the identification of OME will facilitate the detection of a major amount of hearing impaired school-aged children.
Sarafraz
Mozafar
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ahwaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.
Ahmadi
Khashayar
K
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000367:Age Factors; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D038781:Otoscopy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires