HEARING LOSS AMONG SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN IN OBAFEMI OWODE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

Abstract

Hearing loss is a major public health issue affecting nearly 250 million people globally, and 75% of the sufferers live in developing countries. Despite the high prevalence and incidence rate of hearing loss, developing countries like Nigeria have carried out little audiological assessment of school age children. Early identification and appropriate intervention in children with hearing loss will limit further loss and improve speech and learning ability. This study was carried out to investigate the prevalence, types and factors associated with hearing loss among school age children in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area in Ogun State. A cross sectional survey was done and 305 pupils were selected through a multistage cluster sampling technique. Two research instruments - questionnaire and a diagnostic audiometer was used to obtain data on socio-demographic characteristics, hearing loss prevalence and predisposing factors. The collected data was analyzed using the SPSS software. Association between categorical variables and hearing loss was analyzed using the chi-square test and logistic regression model. The level of significance was set at 5%. The age of respondents was 10.95 ± 1. 98. The proportion of school children with hearing loss in the right and left ears was 27.5% and 31.8% respectively. Among these subjects with hearing loss, 46.4% were males and 53.6% were females. Mild and moderate hearing losses were found among the children. The commonest type of hearing loss was low frequency hearing loss with a prevalence of 64.9% ,and 71.1% on their right and left ears respectively. Variables which remained significant in association with hearing loss on multiple logistic regression analysis include being less than 10 years old (OR= 0.40, 95% CI= 0.23-0.68), history of ear discharge in the right ear (OR= 2.80, 95% CI= 1.23-6.38) and left ear (OR= 2.72, 95%= 1.33-5.56), history of ear injury (OR= 2.28, 95% CI= 1.09-4.74), history of head trauma in the right ear (OR= 4.54, 95% CI= 1.97-10.44) and left ear (OR= 3.62, 95% CI= 1.79-7.32), measles (OR= 11.26, 95% Cl= 4.79-26.49), meningitis (OR= 26.52, 95% CI= 10.52-66.86). noise exposure in the right ear (OR= 8.32, 95% CI= 3.99-17.38) and left ear (OR= 2. 74. 95% CI= 1.45-5.17). The prevalence of hearing loss among school children is high with ear infection, trauma. infectious diseases and noise being the major risk factors. Health education on these preventable causes of hearing loss should be periodically given to the general public to reduce the disease burden.