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Pilot Hearing Screening of School-age Children in Lagos, Nigeria
- Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 32, Number 3, August 2021
- pp. 1444-1460
- 10.1353/hpu.2021.0143
- Article
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Abstract:
Objectives. The aim of this pilot study is to assess the prevalence of hearing disorders in school-age children in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods. The study group consisted of 236 children aged 5 to 11 years old. Children were assessed by otoscopy, transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions, and pure-tone audiometry screening. Results. Abnormal audiograms were found in 46 (19.5%) of the tested children. Otoscopy data suggest that the most frequent hearing abnormalities were related to cerumen and otitis media. Low agreement (55%) was found between otoacoustic emissions outcomes and pure-tone audiometry data. Conclusion. Given the high prevalence of hearing problems in this group of primary school students, there is a strong need to monitor the hearing status of children in this geographical area.