PREVALENCE OF EAR NOSE AND THROAT DISORDERS IN SCHOOL GOING CHILDRENOUR EXPERIENCE OF SCREENING CAMP IN FOUR GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN KATHMANDU

Abstract

Background: This study was conducted to find out the prevalence of different types of ear nose and throat disorders in school going children of Kathmandu.
Method: The study was done over the period of two months on July and august 2022. Four government schools of Kathmandu were chosen for the study. Those schools were little far away from the core city area and were having relatively less health care services available. Students going to government school mostly were from poor family background especially in Kathmandu. All the students of those schools present on the day of examination underwent ENT screening check up by ENT surgeons and trained medical officers. Brief historywas recorded and findings were noted. Results were expressed in numbers and percentages.
Result: There were 5366 students taken for the study which included 48.5%( n=2610) male and 51.5%(n=2756) female. Mean age of the students was 9.23 years. 31.96% had ENT problems. The most common ear disorder was impacted earwax (17.89%), followed by chronic otitis media (2.14%), otitis media with effusion (1.64%) and acute pharyngitis (1.56 %).
Conclusion: ENT disorders specially ear diseases like impacted earwax, COM and OME were important health problems among school children of Kathmandu, Nepal. Regular school health services, screening program, public awareness, improvement of socioeconomic status can help reduce ENT disease burden and prevent hearing loss.
Keywords: Chronic otitis media, Hearing loss, Impacted earwax,  Otitis media with effusion, Screening program