Chronic suppurative otitis media in urban private school children of Nepal.
Chronic suppurative otitis media is one of the common ear diseases of the ear, particularly in childhood. It is the commonest cause of persistent mild to moderate hearing impairment in children and young adults.


OBJECTIVE
To find out the prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media among school children studying in urban private schools of Nepal.


METHODS
This study was carried out among 500 school children aged between 5 -15 years. Students were selected from urban private schools of four districts of Nepal. In all students, history was taken and otoscopic examination done from May 2006 to October 2006. Data were described using frequency and percentage.


METHODS
Prospective cross sectional study.


RESULTS
Results showed that the prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media in children studying in urban private schools of Nepal is 5.0%. Unilateral disease was seen in 72.0%, 76.0% had a tubotympanic disease and 24.0% had atticoantral disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media in urban private school children in Nepal is higher than other studies done in private school children. Health education, improvement of socioeconomic status and health facilities will be helpful in reducing the prevalence of chronic suppurative otitis media.
Adhikari
Prakash
P
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, T.U. Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. prakash_ooz@hotmail.com
Joshi
Sambudutta
S
Baral
Dipal
D
Kharel
Binit
B
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014505:Urban Population