S M Oladeji1, O T Babatunde2, L B Babatunde3, O A Sogebi4. 1. Ear, Nose and Throat Unit, Dept of Surgery, Ben Carson College of Medicine/Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun state, Nigeria. 2. Department of Peadiatrics, Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun state. 3. Dept of Community Medicine, Ben Carson School of Medicine/Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun state. 4. ENT Unit, Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Sagamu, Ogun state.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ear wax lubricates, cleans and protects the external auditory canal while ear self-cleaning can lead to ear infections, trauma and perforation of the tympanic membrane. An erroneous understanding of these facts can lead to wrong practices with grievous consequences. OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge on ear wax and the effects of ear self-cleaning among health workers in Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done on health workers in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria with administration of structured questionnaire. Knowledge of the participants on the effect of ear self-cleaning were classified as poor, fair or good based on the calculation of their knowledge score. RESULTS: Out of 150 respondents, 10.7% of them had good knowledge of ear wax and the health effects of self-ear cleaning while 51.3% had poor knowledge. There was strong association between knowledge score and occupation (x2=24.113, P=0.007), while there was no association between knowledge score and practice of ear self-cleaning. CONCLUSION: Most respondents had poor knowledge of the function of ear wax and the damage to the auditory canal associated with ear self-cleaning. There is thus, the need for public enlightenment on the complications of the practice.
BACKGROUND: Ear wax lubricates, cleans and protects the external auditory canal while ear self-cleaning can lead to ear infections, trauma and perforation of the tympanic membrane. An erroneous understanding of these facts can lead to wrong practices with grievous consequences. OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge on ear wax and the effects of ear self-cleaning among health workers in Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done on health workers in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria with administration of structured questionnaire. Knowledge of the participants on the effect of ear self-cleaning were classified as poor, fair or good based on the calculation of their knowledge score. RESULTS: Out of 150 respondents, 10.7% of them had good knowledge of ear wax and the health effects of self-ear cleaning while 51.3% had poor knowledge. There was strong association between knowledge score and occupation (x2=24.113, P=0.007), while there was no association between knowledge score and practice of ear self-cleaning. CONCLUSION: Most respondents had poor knowledge of the function of ear wax and the damage to the auditory canal associated with ear self-cleaning. There is thus, the need for public enlightenment on the complications of the practice.
Entities:
Keywords:
Ear self-cleaning; Health workers; Knowledge; Nigeria; Wax
Authors: Peter S Roland; Timothy L Smith; Seth R Schwartz; Richard M Rosenfeld; Bopanna Ballachanda; Jerry M Earll; Jose Fayad; Allen D Harlor; Barry E Hirsch; Stacie S Jones; Helene J Krouse; Anthony Magit; Carrie Nelson; David R Stutz; Stephen Wetmore Journal: Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Date: 2008-09 Impact factor: 3.497