A PREVALENCE STUDY OF EAR PROBLEMS IN SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN KIAMBU DISTRICT, KENYA, MAY 1992

Information on the prevalence of hearing impairment and related ear pa thologies in children in sub-Saharan Africa is scarce. A pilot study f or a clinical trial of simple treatments for chronic suppurative otiti s media (CSOM) in school children in Kiambu district, Kenya, provided information on the prevalence of hearing impairment and ear pathologie s. Five-thousand-three-hundred-and-sixty-eight children from 57 random ly chosen primary schools in Kiambu district were examined. Simple oto scopy was performed by clinical officers with speciality training in E NT, and hearing testing was performed by trained nurses, using a hand held field audiometer. Microbiological specimens were obtained from th ose children with CSOM. Five-point-six percent of the children had a h earing impairment of > 30 dB HL in one or both ears, with 2.2% having bilateral hearing impairment. Two-point-four percent had at least one perforated tympanic membrane, and 1.1% had CSOM. Eight-point-six perce nt of the children had wax obstructing the tympanic membrane. There is evidence of a relationship between hearing impairment and both CSOM a nd wax obstructing the tympanic membrane. The most common organisms fo und were Pseudomonas spp. (34%), Proteus spp. (34%) and Eschericia col i (19%). These results are comparable with other studies in Africa and indicate a considerable burden of ear disease in Kiambu district, Ken ya.