Otoscopic Findings Among School-aged Nepalese Children: Evidence from School-based Ear Screening Programs

Abstract

Aims and Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the common ear pathologies in Nepalese school aged children.
Methods: This was a retrospective study carried out by reviewing the medical records of the school-based ear health screening programs conducted in 2015 through 2019. The demographic data like age and gender along with clinical data like findings of ear examination were obtained and analyzed. Statistical analysis of the data was done using frequency and percentage.
Results: Records of 79,340 children were analyzed. 61.70% (n=48,947) of children had normal otoscopic findings whereas 38.30% (n=30,393) had various ear pathologies. Of those children with ear pathologies, 50.40% (n=15,321) were male and 49.60% (n=15,072) were female. Impacted wax was the most common otoscopic finding affecting 28.41% (n=22,539) children, followed by middle ear pathologies in 9.31% (n=7,393) and external ear pathologies in 0.58% (n=461) children.
Conclusion: This study shows high prevalence of ear pathologies in school age Nepalese children. It also highlights that the implementation of initiatives for screening of ear disease and hearing status using tools like otoscope and audiometer at the time of enrollment of children into school is beneficial. This would be an effective measure for early detection and treatment of ear diseases and to prevent avoidable hearing loss in Nepal.
Keywords: Children, ear disease, otitis media